Egypt Imposes ‘State of Emergency’ in Sinai after Bomb Kills 30 Soldiers

Local Editor

Egypt declared a three-month state of emergency would begin on Saturday in the north and center of the Sinai Peninsula after a suicide car bombing killed 30 soldiers.

The bombing on Friday was carried out by a suspected extremist who rammed a checkpoint with his explosives-packed vehicle, security officials said.

The presidency said in a statement that the emergency measures will begin on Saturday "for a duration of three months", in the wake of the deadliest attack on the security forces since the army deposed president Mohamed Morsi last year [2013].

The decision was also taken to close the Rafah crossing into the seized Gaza Strip, the only route into the Palestinian territory not controlled by "Israel".

"The army and the police will take all necessary measures to tackle the dangers of terrorism and its financing, to preserve the security of the region... and protect the lives of citizens," the presidential decree said.

The attack, in an agricultural area northwest of El-Arish, the main town in north Sinai, killed at least 30 soldiers and left 29 others injured, medics said. A senior army official and five officers were said to be among those wounded.

Gunmen also shot dead an officer and wounded two soldiers on Friday at another checkpoint south of El-Arish, security officials said.

The Sinai Peninsula has long been considered as a safe haven for gunmen who use the region as a base for their acts of terror. Gunmen have launched almost daily attacks in Sinai, killing members of security forces since the ouster of Morsi in 2013.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team