2 Egyptian soldiers injured in Sinai

File photo shows Egyptian soldiers in military vehicles proceeding toward the al-Jura district in el-Arish in northern Sinai.

At least two Egyptian soldiers have been wounded in a roadside bomb explosion in the troubled Sinai Peninsula, security officials say.

The attack took place on Saturday after the bomb went off near a military vehicle carrying the soldiers in northern Sinai, said the officials.

The officials did not reveal further information regarding the attack.

Elsewhere in the peninsula, Egyptian security forces arrested 16 suspected militants.

On September 16, a roadside bomb planted by militants in the peninsula injured at least nine police cadets.

According to security sources, the remote-controlled bomb exploded on the outskirts of the coastal city of el-Arish in northern Sinai near a bus full of police conscripts.

The bus was traveling from the town of Rafah, near the Gaza border, to the coastal city escorted by an armored police car.

The Sinai has long been considered a safe haven for militants who use the region as a base for terror activities. In recent months, the remote desert region has been the scene of growing violence and militant attacks on security forces.

Since the ouster of former Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, on July 3, militant groups have launched almost daily attacks in Sinai, killing members of the security forces. In response, Cairo has launched offensives against the militants, sending thousands of troops backed by tanks and heavy equipment into the region.

MAM/MAM

Copyright: Press TV