Egypt and Israel said Monday they agreed on an increase in Egyptian border forces in a restive northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, where Egypt has battled extremist militants for years.
The Egyptian military said a joint military committee with Israel agreed to amend a security deal between the two countries, allowing Cairo to increase the number and capabilities of border guards in the town of Rafah.
The military was apparently referring to security arrangements linked to the peace treaty the neighboring countries signed in 1979. It said the new arrangements were part of the military’s efforts to secure the country’s northeastern borders.
Israel’s military said in a separate statement the amendment was signed during the committee’s meeting Sunday, allowing Egypt to increase its military presence in the area. Neither country’s military gave additional details.
Egypt has battled militants in northern Sinai for years, but attacks against its military and police have expanded since the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi, of the Muslim Brotherhood, in 2013 amid mass protests against his divisive rule.
Egypt’s military under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has managed in recent years to prevent large-scale attacks in Sinai and elsewhere in the country.
