Egypt sends more troops in Sinai

DHAKA: Egypt has deployed extra troops, tanks and other armoured vehicles to the Sinai peninsula in an escalation of its military offensive in the area.

The reinforcements follow the killing of 16 border guards by suspected Islamist militants on Sunday.

The army has also begun sealing off tunnels into Gaza, according to Egypt’s Mena news agency, reports the BBC.

Earlier reports that fresh fighting had broken out in al-Arish have been denied by a source quoted by the agency.

According to Nile News TV, violent clashes had broken out between police and armed men outside a police station in the town.

But a security source told Mena the shots had been fired into the air by a man driving an unlicensed car.

Violence in the region began on Sunday, when militants carried out the deadliest and most brazen attack against Egyptian troops in the Sinai region for decades.

There were further attacks on checkpoints in al-Arish on Wednesday, which left a number of people wounded.

Egypt launched its military offensive hours later, launching missile strikes from helicopters.

BDST: 2112 HRS, AUG 9, 2012

Edited by Robab Rosan, Cultural Affairs Editor