Maria’s note: 15 killed in attack in Sinai

On Sunday night, at around 8 p.m., a group of terrorists linked to a “global jihadist group” killed fifteen Egyptian border guards, injured seven others and seized two armored vehicles in an attempt to launch an attack in Israel. 

The assault took place on a checkpoint at the land port of Rafah, while the Egyptian guards were having their iftar meal.

According to Israel, one of the vehicles exploded caused by the detonation of explosives on board and the second one was destroyed by Israeli air force. According to Israeli sources, at least eight of the gunmen were killed when trying to escape. No Israelis were injured.

As a consequence, the Rafah land port has been closed indefinitely.

Israel has shown increased concern about the threat that a weak security apparatus in the Sinai Peninsula poses to the relation between Egypt and Israel. Since the toppling of the ex president Hosni Mubarak last year, Bedouin tribes have established a lawlessness territory where the control of weapons and attacks by the Egyptian army has been said to be very problematic.

 Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has urged Egypt to take strong measures “to enforce security and prevent terror in the Sinai”. He also said that Israel has been in contact with the Egyptian government as soon as the event was notified in order to “try and understand” the situation.

The militant group Hamas has also condemned the attack and extended its condolences to the families of the killed soldiers.

 Egypt’s president Mohamed Morsi held an emergency meeting with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to prepare a response to his first crisis as a president. In a televised speech Morsi promised to regain control of the Sinai Peninsula.