Death toll rises to 33 in Egypt's Sinai attacks

The death toll of Thursday's mortar attacks that targeted security premises in Egypt's North Sinai province rose to 33, a security source told Xinhua.

"The injured people included 31 military men and two civilians and they are being transferred from Arish to Cairo by air-ambulances for better treatment," the source added.

On Thursday evening, massive attacks using car-bombs and mortar shells targeted security premises in Arish and left tens killed and dozens injured. Attacks extended to reach two big security checkpoints in nearby Rafah city.

Egypt has recently extended a curfew in many parts of North Sinai for another three months due to the unstable security conditions in the area and the recurrent terrorist attacks targeting security men and premises.

The anti-security attacks mounted in Sinai and other parts across the country since the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi by the military in July 2013 and the following crackdown on his supporters that left about 1,000 killed and thousands more arrested.

The attacks targeting security forces have left hundreds killed. Most of the attacks were claimed by Sinai-based al-Qaida-inspired Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis group, which has recently changed its name to "Sinai State" after declaring loyalty to the Islamic State militant group in Iraq and Syria. Endit