Terrorist 'involved in attack on Israel' killed in Sinai
Global Jihad operative Ibrahim Madan killed in explosion while riding his motorcycle near Israel-Egypt border, Egyptian and Palestinian sources report. Residents claim Israeli drone hit him, but Israel and Egypt deny
According to the Ma'an News Agency, the man is Ibrahim Owida Nasser Madan, a member of the Global Jihad in Sinai. Though reports in Egypt indicate that an Israeli drone was responsible for Madan's death, Israeli defense officials denied any IDF involvement.
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Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm and the Ma'an News Agency initially reported, based on alleged testimony of residents of the region, that the explosion occurred as a result of a missile launched at Madan's motorcycle, but this version was disproved. According to AFP, residents said that the man was about to fire a rocket at Israel – and was then killed by a small aircraft. This version was also not corroborated and defense forces in north Sinai denied it.
The explosion occurred south of the village of Al-Qasiya in the Sinai Peninsula, some 15 kilometers from the Egypt-Israel border. Sources estimated that the blast was caused by an explosive device Madan was carrying or a landmine that was left in the ground from previous Israel-Egypt wars. The same sources stated that Egyptian defense forces were still investigating Madan's death.
Egyptian army deploying near the Israeli border (Photo: AP)
Based on Egyptian Intelligence reports, Sinai sources reported that Madan, a member of the Jihad in Sinai, was arrested last week by Egyptian officials who were working to purge the area of terrorists. However, reports further stated that Madan was released.
According to the Ma'an News Agency, Madan was involved in the deaths of Israelis, including an attack on an Israeli bus. This may refer to the August 2011 multiple terror attacks near Eilat, which claimed the lives of eight Israelis.
Egyptian defense forces have been conducting a large scale operation to capture terrorists operating in Sinai since the terror attack at the beginning of August, in which Jihad terrorists killed 16 Egyptian policemen.
That attack – in which gunmen reportedly took control of two Egyptian armored vehicles and infiltrated Israel, but were hit by the IAF – demonstrated how the Sinai Peninsula has become terror stricken, beyond the control of defense forces.
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