Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed hopes for deeper U.S. counter-terrorism ties during talks with a top American general on Monday, following a deadly weekend attack by militants in the Sinai peninsula, a U.S. military official said on Monday.
The attack was claimed by Islamic State and killed 11 Egyptian troops. Militants descended on a checkpoint at a water pumping station, striking with an explosive-rigged vehicle and firing heavy weapons from pick-up trucks, Egyptian security sources said.
It was one of the most deadly attacks in recent years in the northern Sinai.
U.S. Army General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, who oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, said following Monday’s talks in Cairo that the attack underscored the persistent threat from extremists.
“I offered my condolences and my view of the ISIS threat,” said Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command.
Sisi’s office said in a statement following his meeting with Kurilla that terrorism was the foremost challenge to Egypt’s security and stability and required “collective efforts to combat it.”
Since 2018, the Egyptian military has expanded its control over populated coastal areas of Northern Sinai between the Gaza Strip in the east and the Suez Canal in the west, allowing for a return of some civilian activity and the development of some infrastructure.
However, sporadic attacks have continued with militants seeking refuge in desert expanses south of the coast and using different tactics such as sniping or planting explosives.
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