Egypt's military said Wednesday it had killed an extremist leader in the Sinai Peninsula, where the Daesh group is carrying out an insurgency.
During an operation in mountainous areas, Egyptian forces "killed Nasser Abu Zaqul, the central Sinai commander of the terrorist group, after significant exchanges of fire," the army said in a statement.
The military said it found a rifle, two grenades and a large quantity of ammunition with the slain insurgent leader.
Egypt's army launched a major offensive against the extremists on February 9 in the northern Sinai Peninsula, in an attempt to neutralize a local branch of Daesh.
More than 100 of the terrorists and at least 30 government troops have been killed since the operation, dubbed "Sinai 2018," was launched, according to official figures.
Egypt has been hit by significant militant attacks in recent years, especially after the army toppled former president Mohamed Morsi in the summer of 2013, amid mass protests against his government.
