Egypt army kill 16 jihadists in Sinai

CAIRO, Feb 11 (AFP): Egypt's army said Sunday it had killed 16 jihadists and detained 34 more in the Sinai Peninsula since launching a major operation against them on Friday.

The security sweep in the Sinai, heart of a persistent Islamic State group insurgency, comes as President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seeks re-election next month.

Army spokesman Tamer al-Rifai said 16 jihadists had been killed and 34 detained during a "sweep and raids... in northern and central Sinai". The army destroyed 66 jihadist hideouts, 11 pickup vehicles and 31 motorbikes, he said in a statement.

It also discovered and destroyed an explosives-making laboratory, he said.