173 militants killed in Egypt's North Sinai

At least 173 militants were killed and several others arrested in separate army raids in restive North Sinai province in February, an army spokesperson said today.
During the raids, 109 people including Palestinians were arrested, Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said in a statement.
He also added the army destroyed 22 headquarters and shelters belongs to terrorist and outlaw militants.
Samir said, 32 different vehicles and 17 unlicensed motorcycles used by militants in their attacks against police and army personnel were destroyed in the raids.
Sinai has witnessed many violent attacks by militants since the January 2011 revolution that toppled dictator Hosni Mubarak.

The attacks targeting police and military increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. Over 500 security personnel have been reported killed since then.
Egypt had declared a three-month state of emergency and a curfew in different parts of Sinai following a terror attack that left at least 31 Egyptian soldiers dead last October.
The military has launched security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished terrorist bases including tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.