15 terrorists, 12 Egyptian soldiers killed in major attack on army check point in Sinai Peninsula

At least 15 terrorists and 12 Egyptian soldiers were killed on Friday in a major attack on an army check point in the Sinai Peninsula, which has for years been battling Islamist insurgency.

A group of suspected Islamist in 4x4 vehicles attacked an army security point in North Sinai, following which agun-battle broke out between the forces and the terrorists,army spokes person Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said.

Egypt banned all 4x4 vehicles in army-operation zones inSinai in July 2015. The militants targeted a military base about 80 kilometreseast of the Suez Canal, local media reported.

Apart from 15 militants and 12 soldiers killed, Samir saida number of terrorists and six security personnel were also injured in the attack. "The armed forces assert that these despicable acts willnot deter it from its duty of protecting the great Egyptian people," Samir said in a statement.

Security forces have launched combing operations in thearea to find if any assailants escaped. Egypt has has been battling Islamist militancy thatprimarily targeted policemen, judges and military personnel.

The militants are led by a local affiliate of the Islamic State group. Since the 2011 revolution that toppled president Hosni Mubarak from power, North became the main stage of many violent attacks.

The attacks increased after the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 following huge protests against his rule. More than 700 security personnel have been killed inviolence since then. The military has launched security campaigns in the area,arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.