Friday's bombing was the deadliest attack on security forces
since the army deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi last year, to the fury
of his supporters.
The state of emergency in the north and centre of the Sinai
will remain in place for three months, the president's office said.
A curfew is in force from 5:00 pm to 7:00 am.
Egypt also announced it would close the Rafah crossing into
the Gaza Strip, the only entry to the Palestinian territory not controlled by
Israel.
Witnesses told AFP that new security checkpoints were
erected in Rafah and the north Sinai town of Sheikh Zuweid.
Sinai has turned into a hotbed for extremist militants who
have killed scores of security personnel …
"The army and police will take all necessary measures
to tackle the dangers of terrorism and its financing, to preserve the security
of the region... and protect the lives of citizens," a presidential decree
said.
Despite killing or arresting many militants, the army has so
far been unable to eradicate them in a massive operation involving attack
helicopters and tanks.
The military launched fresh air strikes Saturday in northern
Sinai, killing eight suspected militants, security officials said.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the army chief who toppled
Morsi and was later elected head of state, chaired a meeting of the Supreme
Council of the Armed Forces Saturday.
"A committee comprising senior army officials was
formed to examine the latest terrorist attacks in Sinai... in order to
reinforce the struggle against terrorism," a statement said.
Egypt has increased its military presence in the Sinai
peninsula after vowing to crush a surge in Is …
Afterwards, Sisi said Friday's attack was carried out with
"external support" in order to "break the will of the Egyptian
people and army."
Security officials said the soldiers were killed when a
suspected jihadist rammed his explosives-packed vehicle into a checkpoint in El
Arish, the main town in north Sinai.
Medics said 29 others, including a senior army officer and
five others, were also wounded.
On Saturday, the body of a soldier who disappeared after
Friday's attack was found riddled with bullets, security officials said.
Gunmen also shot dead an officer and wounded two soldiers
Friday at another checkpoint south of El-Arish, security officials said.
Egypt's deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi (left) and
his former presidential chief of sta …
- Tourism hit -
Jihadists in the peninsula have killed scores of policemen
and soldiers since Morsi's overthrow to avenge a bloody police crackdown on his
supporters.
The violence has dealt a further blow to a tourism industry
already reeling since a 2011 uprising that overthrew long-time president Hosni
Mubarak.
While south Sinai is dotted with tourist resorts on the Red
Sea -- a popular destination for scuba divers -- the lawless north is a base
for militants who have launched a wave of attacks, mostly targeting security
forces.
The peninsula's southern coastline has been largely spared
the violence rocking the country since 2011, partly thanks to security
checkpoints in the region.
Egypt also announced it would close the Rafah crossing into
the Gaza Strip, the only route into the …
But it has not been completely untouched by the militants.
In February, a suicide bomber killed three South Korean
tourists in an attack on a bus in the south Sinai resort of Taba that was
claimed by Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, the most active militant group in Egypt.
After Friday's attack, Sisi announced three days of national
mourning.
- International condemnation -
The European Union and United States both denounced the
latest incident, with the State Department saying "a prosperous and
dynamic Egypt requires an environment of security and stability."
It was the latest in a string of bloody attacks against
security forces in Egypt.
In August 2013, just weeks after Morsi's overthrow, gunmen
opened fire on two buses transporting troops, killing 25 soldiers.
In July this year, 22 border guards were killed in the
western desert near the Libyan border, and attacks have also extended to Cairo
and other parts of Egypt.
Many have been claimed by Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which tried
last year to assassinate the interior minister in Cairo.
The group has expressed support for Islamic State (IS) group
jihadists in Iraq and Syria, although it has not formally pledged its
allegiance.
The latest bombing came after an Egyptian military court
sentenced to death seven members of Ansar Beit al-Maqdis Tuesday for deadly
attacks on the army.
Since Morsi's ouster, more than 1,400 of his supporters have
been killed in a crackdown by the authorities. More than 15,000 others have
been jailed, including Morsi, and over 200 sentenced to death.eg2
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