Egypt army hits Sinai militants, at least 31 killed, injured-sources

     
At least 31 people were killed or injured on Saturday when the Egyptian army mounted a large operation against militants in North Sinai, security officials said.
   
Dozens of armoured vehicles backed by attack helicopters took part in the operation near Sheikh Zuweid, a few kilometres (miles) from the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
   
Another 15 people were detained in the operation.

This comes as an improvised hand grenade exploded at a police station in Cairo, but caused no injuries, Egyptian state television reported.        
Experts arrived at the police station in Bulaq El-Dakrum to search the area, state news agency MENA said.                        

Earlier, Egyptian soldiers discovered explosives planted on a railway line in Suez, the state news agency reported, another sign of an insurgency after an assassination attempt against the interior minister and attacks on security forces and a ship.                     

Mortars were among the munitions found on the line between the cities of Suez and Ismailia, MENA news agency said, adding that the explosives were defused by experts.


REUTERS