Egyptian forces kill top ISIS figure, seal security pact with Saudi Arabia

[Valin]

Jerusalem Post:

08/01/2015

 

Egyptian armed forces killed a leading member of the country's Islamic State affiliate in a shootout outside his North Sinai home, the army spokesman said in a statement on Saturday.

 

Selim Suleiman al-Haram, identified in the statement as a leader of the militant group known as Sinai Province, was asked to turn himself in by a group of soldiers that surrounded his house in the town of Sheikh Zuweid, the army said. He refused, opening fire on the troops and attempting to blow himself up before being shot dead, the army said.

 

Sinai Province, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, claimed responsibility last week for a bombing that the army said killed four soldiers near Rafah, a town on the border with the Gaza Strip.

 

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According to the Arabic daily newspaper, Asharq al-Aswat, the deal, called the "Cairo Declaration", was signed by Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi. Among its provisions, it will see the two countries establish a joint Arab military force and define their maritime borders in the Red Sea.

 

Bilateral cooperation will also extend to economic sectors, including electricity, energy and transportation infrastructure. The deal also made a point of promising more cultural and and media-related cooperation due to what an official statement identified as a regional cultural and political turmoil.

 

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