Massive Terror Attack on Military Checkpoints in Egypt's Sinai Kills Dozens

A coordinated attack by terrorists on multiple Egyptian military checkpoints in north Sinai has left dozens dead with fighting still ongoing in some areas, according to multiple reports.

#UPDATE IS attacks in Egypt's Sinai kill 70 soldiers and civilians: officials http://t.co/ffgdV0q0oL

— AFP news agency (@AFP) July 1, 2015

Egypt's army says it's still fighting IS militants who launched a wave of attacks in #Sinai http://t.co/j9ms3ocypI pic.twitter.com/TtKZCZ5tVW

— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) July 1, 2015

Maj. Gen. Hisham El-Halaby tell @ahramonline numbers of #ISIS affiliated militants engaged with #Egypt army today may exceed 300

— Hani Shukrallah (@HaniShukrallah) July 1, 2015

Wilayat Sinai, the ISIS affiliate operating in Sinai and formerly known as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM) until their merger with ISIS in November 2014, has reportedly already taken credit for the attack:

ISIS-affiliate Sinai Province claims responsibility for North Sinai attacks that killed at least 30 Egyptian soldiers http://t.co/LltRDjNGp3

— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) July 1, 2015

Alleged statement by State of #Sinai, formerly Ansar Beit al-Maqdes, claiming responsibility for Wednesday's attacks pic.twitter.com/qlTlzI3Fqj

— Mada Masr مدى مصر (@MadaMasr) July 1, 2015

This attack comes just two days after the assassination of Egypt’s Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat, whose funeral was yesterday.

A deeper look into possible reasons behind the assassination of Prosecutor General Hesham Barakat http://t.co/LcV2VveJuD @maishams

— Mada Masr مدى مصر (@MadaMasr) June 29, 2015

The attacks occurred near Sheikh Zuweid not far from the Rafah border crossing into Gaza.

Egypt Army ends the Sinai militants siege that surrounded Sheikh Zuweid police station: SkyNews correspondent https://t.co/ejTKpguS40 #Egypt

— Deena Hassan (@deenahsn) July 1, 2015

Deadly attacks hit #Egypt's #Sinai http://t.co/1AQu9VDCH2

— Sule Sulizo Momoh (@plaga4real) July 1, 2015

Israel has closed down its shared border crossings with Egypt as deadly Sinai clashes continue http://t.co/GVK6Bc0P2L pic.twitter.com/ubq5sQegD5

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 1, 2015

El-Arish hospital has received more than 35 bodies, medical sources have told Al Jazeera http://t.co/qhT4wkxGN5 pic.twitter.com/veJRXxT5aL

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 1, 2015

If casualty figures continue to climb, this would be one of the biggest terror attacks in Egypt’s modern history and definitely would mark an escalation in the conflict between terrorist groups and the Egyptian government in the two years since the ouster of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi.

https://twitter.com/AlBawabaEG/status/616171135143682048

Reports that fighters took over two tanks at Sinai checkpoint, as clashes continue http://t.co/p9T4AUEuw2 pic.twitter.com/zt1F9eMGSp

— Al Jazeera News (@AJENews) July 1, 2015

https://twitter.com/evanchill/status/616175479746363392

#Egypt: #IS affiliate militants reported to have taken army soldiers captive in simultaneous attacks in North #Sinai – AP

— Mohamed Yehia (@yeh1a) July 1, 2015

Witnesses say armed men were seen stealing military equipment from attack sites in Sheikh Zuwayed, N.Sinai

— Mada Masr مدى مصر (@MadaMasr) July 1, 2015

Ambulances can't reach the injured people as terrorists planted landmines allover the roads of North Sinai… https://t.co/0195gdPT7D

— ᴅʀ ꜰ. ꜰʀᴀɴᴄɪꜱ (@Dr_F_Francis) July 1, 2015

Egypt is one of the top U.S. allies in the Middle East, though the Obama administration withheld military supplies from Egypt for nearly two years as the insurgency in the Sinai escalated, only relenting recently.