At least 23 Egyptian soldiers killed in armed militants' attack

Egyptian security officials say that at least 23 people have been killed in suicide attacks on two military checkpoints in North Sinai. According to Reuters, security sources reported that two car bombs exploded near two military checkpoints south of Rafah, on the border with the Gaza Strip. Security sources also stated that 26 other soldiers were injured in the attacks on Friday. Meanwhile, the Egyptian army reported fewer casualties, stating that 26 people were killed and wounded without providing further details. Reuters notes that since the ousting of Mohamed Morsi in 2013, hundreds have been killed in attacks by Islamist militants against state forces in the Sinai Peninsula. The report states that Friday's attack is one of the most severe assaults on the Egyptian army in Sinai since 2015, when at least 17 Egyptian soldiers were killed in an attack. However, Egyptian security sources said that following the attacks on Friday, the Egyptian army targeted the positions of Islamist groups. The Egyptian army released video footage of airstrikes on the positions of Islamist militants, claiming that at least 40 militants were killed in these attacks. Islamist militants allied with the Islamic State group had previously claimed responsibility for attacks on Egyptian military forces in Sinai. The group 'Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis,' which became active in Sinai following the early uprisings against Hosni Mubarak's regime in 2010, had previously changed its name to 'Wilayat Sinai' as a branch of the 'Islamic State' after pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed caliph of ISIS.