Cairo, Oct 8 (IANS) At least 16 suspected militants killed Tuesday in clashes with Egyptian army in Sinai, security sources said.
Four others suspected of being extremist leaders and members of the Sinai-based Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis group have been arrested, Xinhua reported.
"Army tanks shelled three vehicles and a motor bike raising Al Qaeda flag in separate clashes in the Northern Sinai villages of al-Muqataa, al-Agra and al-Goura," said the sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity for security reasons.
Tuesday's episode is part of a massive security campaign in the Sinai Peninsula where attacks against security forces have escalated following the 2013 ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi by the military during mass protests against his rule.
Dozens of suspected militants have been killed and hundreds more arrested as a result.