Egypt officials: Car bomb kills officer, wounds 4 in Sinai

EL-ARISH, Egypt – Egyptian security officials say a car bomb has targeted members of the security forces in the turbulent north of the Sinai Peninsula, killing a military officer.

The say the blast, which took place on Sunday on a road just south of the coastal city of el-Arish city, also wounded four conscripts.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack, which bore the all hallmarks of Egypt’s Islamic State affiliate, which is leading the insurgency in Sinai.

The officials say Egyptian forces clashed with Islamic militants following the attack and killed some. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk to reporters.

In February, Egypt launched a security operation against Islamic militants around the country, mainly in Sinai but also elsewhere.