2 soldiers killed while defusing bomb in Egypt's Sinai

At least two military men were killed and a third injured while defusing an improvised explosive device in Sheikh Zuweid city of Egypt's restive North Sinai province on Saturday, an Egyptian military spokesman said in a statement.

The armed forces were combing regions for active terrorists when they found a planted explosive device that blew up while they were defusing it, "killing an officer, a solider and injuring a noncommissioned," the spokesman said.

The tragic incident took place at Karm al-Qawadis area in Sheikh Zuweid city, where systematic militant attacks killed over 30 soldiers back in 2014.

Terror attacks in Egypt have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the army ousted former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

In late January, at least four military men were killed and 12 others injured in a blast that targeted their armored vehicle in Arish city of North Sinai.

Sinai-based Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis militant group, which has changed its name to "Sinai State" and vowed loyalty to the regional Islamic State (IS) militant group, has claimed responsibility for most of the anti-government attacks nationwide.

The security forces have been launching massive anti-terror operations in North Sinai that have left hundreds of militants killed and a similar number of suspects arrested.

The security raids in Sinai are part of the country's "war against terrorism" declared by then military chief and now President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi after Morsi's removal. Endit