Convoy of Egyptian army trucks destroyed by IS militants in Sinai

A convoy of cement trucks from an Egyptian army factory was attacked by militants linked to the Islamic State group in the central Sinai peninsula on Thursday. 

Eight civilian employees and two soldiers were killed in the ambush, according to Egyptian state security officials. 

Among the dead was Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Hussein Mohammed, who was attacked near the town of Nakhl, an anonymous security source told the Associated Press. 

Egyptian security officials added that the militants stole the soldier's weapons and burnt the seven trucks.

The Sinai peninsula has been subject to a growing insurgency which has escalated after Egypt's democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted in a military coup. 

Most of the attacks Egypt is facing have taken place in the northeastern corner of the Sinai near the Gaza Strip. 

However, army and police raids in the area have sparked further violence and attacks from militants further south. 

Egypt is also facing attacks in its western desert, where 16 policemen were killed, according to official figures released by Egypt's interior ministry. 

According to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, IS militants are making their way to Egypt from Libya after the group was ousted in Iraq and Syria.