Mortar attack kills 13 policemen in Egypt's Sinai

Cairo, March 20: A mortar attack on a security checkpoint in Egyptian restive North Sinai's El-Arish city killed 13 policemen on Saturday.

A police officer and seven conscripts were killed when a mortar shell hit the security checkpoint in al-Safa neighborhood south of the city, Xinhua cited state-run MENA news agency as saying.

Police cordoned the scene of the attack, while a search operation to track the attackers was launched, MENA added.

Egypt has been facing anti-government attacks, mostly in the Sinai Peninsula, which has killed hundreds of police and army personnel since 2013.

Most of the attacks have been claimed by Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis militant group, which has changed its name to "Sinai State" and declared loyalty to the Islamic State.

IANS