Islamist gunmen launched several attacks on Friday at a police station in Sinai that borders the Gaza Strip, killing an Egyptian soldier and injuring two, fueling fears that the unrest in Egypt and ouster of President Mohammed Morsi would spill to other regions.
Area security reported that the station, which is nearby the headquarters of a military intelligence unit, was hit by rockets, Ynet News said. Just a few hours earlier, other attackers launched grenades at military security posts set up to protect El Arish airport, by the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Police didn’t immediately conclude that the attacks came as direct result of Mr. Morsi’s ouster. But al-Qaeda-linked militants are thought to have set up a stronghold in the peninsula region, and Egypt has been struggling to maintain peace there since 2011, when President Hosni Mubarak fell from power.
Egyptian officials said the country’s border crossing with Gaza Strip in northern Sinai has been closed indefinitely, citing security concerns, The Associated Press reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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