Prominent leader of IS-linked militant group killed in Egypt

Cairo, Jan 22: A prominent leader of an Islamic State linked militant group was killed in an encounter with the Egyptian police in Dakahlia governorate.

"One of the dangerous leaders of the Ansar Beit al-Maqdes has been killed," an official of the Ministry of Interior said yesterday. Samir Mansour Sobhi Sobeih alias Abu Zeid was killed in Dakahlia governorate in northeast of the capital city of Cairo, the official said. Sobeih was spotted in el-Aziza village and was wearing a suicide vest.

Confronted by police, Sobeih tried to detonate the explosives but was gunned down before he could do so, the official said. Police recovered assault rifles, 2 bullet safes and ammunition from him. The security personnel have cordoned off the encounter scene and defused the explosive belt using water cannons.

Sobeih was one of the prominent leaders of the Sinai-based militant group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which recently changed its name to Sinai Province and sworn allegiance to Islamic State. He was in charge of training the militant group's members in weapons handling and explosives preparation.

PTI