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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Asharq Al-Awsat

Egypt Convicts 65 Militants with Terrorism

Egypt charges 65 suspects with terrorism. (Reuters)

Egypt convicted on Thursday dozens of suspected militants with terrorism.

The Cairo criminal court charged 65 suspects with setting up a terrorist group and declaring allegiance to the ISIS group, sentencing 18 of them to life in prison.

It also sentenced 41 people to 15 years in prison and six more to five years.

Two defendants were acquitted.

Of the 67 defendants, only 43 are in custody, while the rest, who include two women, are fugitives.

The prosecutors said the group set up cells in six provinces and members received training on firearms and explosives.

Egypt's security forces have for years been battling militants in the turbulent northern Sinai Peninsula. The militants' insurgency, led by a local affiliate of ISIS, have targeted police, army soldiers and Egypt's Christian minority.

The military and security forces launched in February an offensive to eradicate the terrorists from northern Sinai.

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