[IsraelTimes] A powerful kaboom killed five Egyptian police conscripts and an officer near the border town of Rafah in the restive Sinai Peninsula early Tuesday, in an attack that bore the hallmarks of a local al-Qaeda-inspired group, Egyptian security officials said.| Ynet adds that two were wounded. |
The official said the blast shredded the armored vehicle and tore the coppers's bodies to pieces. The force was assigned to detect explosives but it was unclear if they were searching for them at the time of the attack.
No further details were immediately available. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to brief the media.
Islamic snuffies have escalated attacks over the past year against police and army personnel in retaliation for the military-led ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi after mass demonstrations against him. Suicide bombings, liquidations and road side bombs have claimed the lives of dozens of coppers and army officers. Recently, murderous Moslems have beheaded men they accused of spying on them for Israeli intelligence.
While authorities blame Morsi's Moslem Brüderbund group over the violence, another al-Qaeda-inspired group known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis has grabbed credit for most of the major attacks. The group says it is avenging the authorities' extensive crackdown on Morsi's Islamist supporters who have been staging near daily protests demanding his reinstatement. The clampdown has killed hundreds and tossed in the slammer
Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out!
thousands.
The insurgency is more intense in the Sinai Peninsula, home to Ansar Beit al-Maqdis and other bad boy Lion of Islams. For years, the northern region bordering Gazoo and Israel has been a Lion of Islam stronghold and base for weapons and Lion of Islam smuggling to and from Gazoo.
Since Morsi's ouster, Egyptian military and police have launched a wide offensive against the Lion of Islams, but counterattacks continue.
Tuesday's bombing is identical to a September 2 kaboom that killed 11 coppers in the same area, also with an underground roadside kaboom detonated by remote.
Ansar Beit al-Maqdis grabbed credit for the attack days later, posting a video showing its preparation and execution as murderous Moslems shouted "God is great."
On Monday, the military said its troops had killed 56 murderous Moslems and seized large amount of explosives over the period between Aug. 31 and mid-September.