Update: 100 militants, 17 army soldiers killed in Egypt clashes

Egyptian military raids killed 100 terrorists in North Sinai while 17 army troops were killed and 13 others injured in confrontations on Wednesday, the Armed Forces said in a statement carried by official MENA news agency.

The statement comes hours after Islamist extremists launched massive attacks on several military checkpoints in North Sinai bordering the Palestinian Gaza Strip and Israel.

"Armed Forces elements in North Sinai in cooperation with the Air Forces chased the militants, destroyed their gathering places, killed at least 100 terrorist elements, wounded many others and destroyed 20 vehicles used by the militants," the statement said.

"Great people of Egypt! Your Armed Forces are leading a fierce war against terrorism and we reaffirm to our great people that we have the will and determination to uprooting the black terrorism," it concluded.

Also on Wednesday, security forces killed nine Islamist extremists, including a Muslim Brotherhood lawyer, in a fire exchange in 6th of October district in Giza, near Cairo.

The bloody clashes came one day after the second anniversary of June 30 mass protests that ended up with the overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi by the military in early July 2013.

After the assassination of Prosecutor General Hesham Barakat in a car bombing on Monday, the country's leadership has urged tougher legal procedures with the extremists charged with violence and terrorism.

On Monday, the Egyptian Cabinet approved a package of bills "to achieve fast justice and quick retaliation for our martyrs."

"All legal and diplomatic measures will be taken to deter and disclose those in charge of these terrorist acts," the Cabinet vowed. Endit