Egypt announced on Wednesday that its military killed the leader of the ISIS terrorist group in the Sinai region.
Colonel Tamer el-Rifai, a military spokesman, said in a statement that Nasser Abou Zaqoul was killed in a shootout with troops in central Sinai.
The military said it found a rifle, two grenades and a large quantity of ammunition with Abou Zaqoul.
The news came just days after the military said eight soldiers were killed and 15 wounded when militants wearing explosive belts blew themselves up as they tried to infiltrate a military base in central Sinai.
In February, Egypt launched a comprehensive plan aimed at eradicating ISIS from Sinai, where the group has entrenched itself in recent years.
The group has claimed responsibility for several attacks in the country that have left hundreds dead.
The massive operation also covers parts of Egypt's Nile Delta and the Western Desert, along the porous border with Libya.
More than 100 extremists and at least 30 government troops have been killed since the operation, dubbed "Sinai 2018," was launched, according to official figures.
