Egyptian troops kill 20 militants in Sinai

CAIRO - Twenty militants were killed as Egyptian troops raided early Wednesday a border village where militants were hiding in North Sinai after a recent deadly attack on a military checkpoint, a military intelligence source said.

The troops started the operation with a military helicopter against the Sheikh Zuweid village between Arish, capital of North Sinai, and the Rafah crossing with Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, the source told Xinhua.

He said 20 were killed and a number of others injured. More than 100 soldiers besieged the village. The exchange of fire between the troops and militants lasted until Wednesday morning.

Egyptian state-run Nile TV also reported the military action and the same death toll. But the military still hasn't issued a statement about the operation so far.

The crackdown followed an attack on an Egyptian military checkpoint south of Arish on Sunday. The attack happened immediately after sunset prayer during Iftar when the troops of the checkpoint were suddenly attacked by masked gunmen, who afterwards escaped in two vehicles.

Sixteen soldiers died and seven others were injured in the incident. Local security officials blamed Jihadists for the attack.

Egypt closed the Rafah crossing indefinitely after the checkpoint attack. "This cowardly attack will not go unpunished," said a statement released by the Egyptian presidency. "Those who carried out the attack will pay heavily."

On Monday, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi inspected several military checkpoints in Arish, accompanied by Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi, Head of the Intelligence Service Morad Mouafi and Interior Minister Ahmed Gamal al-Din. Morsi urged to eliminate elements, which threatened national security, and maintain security and stability in Sinai.

During his visit, Morsi said attackers of Egyptian border guards will be brought to justice. He will follow the efforts to enable Sinai residents to live in peace, stressing cooperation between security forces and tribesmen to restore security, the official MENA news agency reported.

Since Egypt's turmoil early last year, the security situation in Sinai has deteriorated. Militants attacked police stations while local Bedouins committed some kidnappings of foreign tourists. The pipeline, which exports natural gas to Israel and Jordan, was attacked more than 10 times.

In late July 2011, dozens of armed men attacked a police station in Arish, capital of North Sinai, leaving six policemen dead and more than 10 injured.