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1st LD: Egypt army foils infiltration with heavy ammunition at borders

Xinhua, May 8, 2017 Adjust font size:

The Egyptian armed forces foiled an infiltration attempt at the country's western borders with Libya and destroyed 15 vehicles loaded with weapons and ammunition, the Egyptian military spokesman said in a statement on Monday.

"The air forces detected and pursued the hostile targets, confirmed their location and dealt with them once they infiltrated the international border lines," military spokesman Tamer al-Refaay said in the statement, noting that the operation had continued over the past 48 hours.

He added that the 15 four-by-four vehicles were loaded with weapons, ammunition and other smuggled materials and they were all "completely destroyed."

Egypt has been suffering growing anti-government terrorist activities since the military removed former president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 and launched a massive security crackdown on his now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Later on, the new military-oriented leadership declared a "war against terrorism" nationwide, fighting against affiliates of the regional Islamic State (IS) militant group in the country's Sinai Peninsula and in the Western Desert.

In July 2014, at least 21 Egyptian soldiers were killed and several others wounded in a terrorist attack against security forces at Al-Farafra Oasis in the country's Western Desert.

In February 2015, the IS militants released a video showing the beheading of 20 Egyptians near the Libyan chaotic city of Sirte.

Experts believe that Egypt seeks Libya's stability to maintain the Egyptian national security, secure its western borders and uproot cross-border terrorism. Endit