An Egyptian security official says troops have arrested nine Islamic militants in northern Sinai ,believed to be behind a deadly attack that killed 16 Egyptian soldiers last weekend.
The official told Associated Press that early Friday the troops stormed a house in Sheik Zweid ,close to Rafah border crossing with Gaza Strip ,and caught the nine while they were asleep.
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Among them was Selmi Zeyoud, whom the official described as a "dangerous element" and a brother to a slain jihadist .The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
Egypt's President Morsi in Sinai after attack (Photo: AFP)
The arrests are the first since Sunday's surprise attack in which armed terrorists from Sinai breached Israel 'sborder in an armored personnel carrier they seized during a raid on an Egyptian border checkpoint as the border guards broke their daily fast for the holy month of Ramadan with a sunset meal.
- After the gunmen stormed the checkpoint, they killed 16 Egyptian soldiers, then drove into Israel.