A suicide bomber hits off-duty soldiers in Egypt’s

A suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into one of two buses carrying off-duty soldiers in Egypt’s turbulent region of northern Sinai on Wednesday, killing 11 and wounding 37, security and military officials said.
They said the suicide bomber struck when the two buses traveled on the road between the border town of Rafah and the coastal city of El-Arish. The explosion damaged both buses, the officials said.
The soldiers belong to the 2nd Field Army, which is doing most of the fighting against Islamic militants waging an insurgency against security forces in Sinai. The buses were on their way to Cairo, the officials said.
Col. Mohammed Ahmed Ali, a military spokesman, said the wounded were being treated in military hospitals. “The precious blood of our sons strengthens our resolve to cleanse Egypt and shield its sons from violence and treacherous terrorism,” Ali wrote on his Facebook page.
The northern Sinai region, which borders Gaza and Israel, has been restless for years, but attacks have grown more frequent and deadlier since the July ouster of President Muhammad Mursi.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday’s attack, but suicide car bombings are a signature method by militant groups linked to or inspired by Al-Qaeda.
It was the latest in a series of similar attacks targeting army and police facilities and checkpoints. In August, gunmen pulled 25 police conscripts off minibuses in the Sinai and shot them dead on the side of the main road linking Rafah to El-Arish.
Meanwhile, clashes late Tuesday between revolutionary youths opposed to military rule and police killed two people, including a teenager, said Ahmed El-Ansari, head of Egypt’s emergency services. He said the teenager suffered a head wound from a birdshot pellet and died while being taken to hospital.



Source:Arabnews