Two Senior Egyptian Police Killed in Sinai Sweep

(Cairo, Egypt) According to the Egyptian Interior Ministry, two senior police officers were killed by land mines during the massive manhunt for terrorists in the Sinai.

From the Arab News:

Maj. Gen. Mahmoud Adel and Lt. Col. Omar Abdel Moneim were the highest ranked police officers killed in Egypt since a violent insurgency in the mid-1990s and the first slain since about 4,000 security personnel launched a massive sweep Sunday of the northern Sinai for suspects linked to July's triple Sharm El-Sheik attacks and October's bombings at the Taba and nearby Ras Shitan resorts.

Yesterday's blasts occurred after two land mines exploded on the 1,800-meter high Halal mountain, about 60 kilometers south of the Mediterranean coastal town of El-Arish, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

On conditions of anonymity, officials stated that they believe fugitives, who traditionally hide in the Sinai's mountains, planted the mines. Egyptian security forces have detained 650 people thus far in the Sinai sweep which started last Sunday. A primary target still at large is Salem Khadr El-Shenoub, suspected of harboring terrorists linked to the Taba and Ras Shitan attacks.

Also worthy of mentioning is that the indigenous Bedouin tribesmen, steeped in knowledge of hideouts and smuggling routes, have emerged as key suspects sometimes and valuable informers at other times. However, in general, it's believed that the tribesmen collaborate with the terrorists at a level less than originally thought due to significantly different ideologies and interests. For instance, the autonomous Bedouins do not like to have the police looking at their affairs which is exactly what happens if they collaborate with the terrorists. So, unless there are family ties, I suspect the tribesmen provide little help for the terrorists.

Companion at Jawa Report.