Terrorists attack military checkpoints in Egypt's North Sinai; 26 soldiers killed or injured

Cairo: Terrorists attacked several military checkpoints with car bombs in Egypt's North Sinai on Friday, triggering fierce gunfight in which 26 Egyptian soldiers were killed or injured.

The military said it killed 40 terrorists as it clashed with militants in the North Sinai city of Rafah bordering the Palestinian Gaza Strip.

Six vehicles were destroyed during the attacks, army spokesperson Tamer el-Refae said in a statement.

At least 26 soldiers were killed or injured after being targeted by car bombs, the statement said without elaborating the number of those killed and injured separately.

The army is currently combing the area and searching for the attackers.

Egypt's North Sinai has witnessed many terrorists attacks since the January 2011 revolution that toppled the ex- president Hosni Mubarak.

The attacks, mainly targeting police and military, increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 by military following massive protests against his rule. 

Hundreds of police and army personnel were killed since then.

The military has launched security campaigns in the North Sinai area. 

The security forces have arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.