Al-Tarabeen tribe handed over four militants allegedly affiliated with Sinai-based militant group “State of Sinai” to the Egyptian armed forces in North Sinai, state-run news agency MENA reported Saturday.
The tribe announced in a statement that the hand-over formed a retaliatory attack against “State of Sinai”, in response to the killing of its member.
The armed group posted a series of photos on 25 April featuring alleged members distributing leaflets to Al-Tarabeen tribe members, warning them against coordinating with the army against them.
Following the statement, “State of Sinai” bombed a house belonging to an Al-Tarabeen tribe leader Ibrahim Al-Argani, who lives in Cairo, for being an “army informant”. Al-Argani is one of the tribal leaders who signed the statement announcing the retaliatory attacks against “State of Sinai”.
The armed group posted photos of the bombing on Wednesday, and their statement included a photo of Al-Argani with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
Al-Argani confirmed, during a phone interview with TV host Wael Al-Ibrashi on private Channel Dream 2 on 1 May, that the Al-Tarabeen, along with other tribes in North Sinai, are fighting “Islamic State” affiliates in North Sinai in coordination with the armed forces.
The armed group has targeted people from other tribes, including Al-Sawrka and Armilat tribes in North Sinai, for allegedly collaborating with the army. For several months, “State of Sinai” has also been distributing threatening leaflets to residents, warning them against dealing with the Egyptian army, or else they will be killed.
The military spokesperson announced Saturday the killing of 29 militants and the arrest of 133 others, out of whom 106 are suspects. The army operations come in efforts to “eliminate” the insurgency in North Sinai.
It is one of many security campaigns the armed forces and Interior Ministry are implementing to combat “terrorism” across Egypt. The Interior Ministry announced on 30 April the arrest of 93 “terrorist elements” in different governorates.
The restive Sinai Peninsula, however, has been witnessing the highest frequency of insurgency since the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. Most of the attacks have been claimed by “State of Sinai”, formerly known as Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis before they pledged allegiance to the “Islamic State” last November.
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi reiterated the involvement of “foreign elements” in the insurgency in North Sinai. Accordingly, a 5 km buffer zone is currently being implemented in Rafah, with the aim of destroying all tunnels leading in and out of Sinai, to avoid the “infiltration of terrorists and weapons”.
