Egypt says 3 troops killed fighting militants in Sinai

CAIRO – Egypt's military says three officers have been killed in the last week in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula, where it is battling an Islamic State-led insurgency.

Wednesday's statement said another two troops were wounded, and that 30 militants were killed.

The military said at least 173 suspects have been arrested. It said airstrikes in the Western Desert destroyed 10 vehicles laden with weapons and ammunition.

It was not possible to independently confirm the claims as access to the northern Sinai is heavily restricted.

The military's operation, started in February, has targeted militants in Sinai as well as parts of the Nile Delta region and the Western Desert, along the porous border with Libya.

The long-running insurgency gained strength after the military overthrow of a divisive Islamist president in 2013.