Skip to main content

IS-linked group claims responsibility for Sinai pipeline explosion

The group claims responsibility for attacks killing at least 30 Egyptian soldiers in October
Smoke rises as Egyptian army demolishes buildings to create a buffer zone at Rafah border on 2 November (AA)

The Islamic State’s Sinai ally Ansar Beit al-Maqdis (ABM) has claimed responsibility for attacks on 24 October killing at least 30 Egyptian soldiers and the bombing of a gas pipeline between Egypt and Jordan.

In a video posted via twitter over the weekend, a spokesman for the group, said that the IS-allied militants would continue the fight against the Egyptian president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, the Egyptian army and its collaborators.

The group shows a truck driving into a military checkpoint followed by a large explosion and groups of masked men firing at soldiers. 
 
ABM said they carried out the attack as there is “no way Jerusalem will be free without the cleansing of Egypt from the agents of the Jews”.
 
The video, entitled ‘Onslaught of Ansar’, also shows the explosion of a gas pipeline, which is believed to be the 1,200 km long pipeline, built at a cost of $1.2bn, which has been used to export natural gas to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

On 25 October, the Egyptian government declared a three-month state of emergency in North Sinai, after the security personnel were killed in two bombings. Egypt also launched a plan to create a buffer zone on its borders with Gaza to eliminate further attacks. 

There has been no official response from the Egyptian authorities on the video.

ABM pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) on 10 November via a video it posted via social media.

In the 9 minute 26 second recording, a man identifying himself as from the group’s “information department” said ABM had given its loyalty to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

"We announce our pledge of allegiance to the caliph Ibrahim Ibn Awad […] to listen and obey," the audio recording said, referring to Baghdadi. “We call on all Muslims everywhere to pledge allegiance to the caliph and support him.”

The Sinai-based group has carried out numerous attacks against Egyptian state targets, killing scores of police officers and soldiers, as well as conducting attacks against neighbouring Israel.

It had previously expressed support for IS, but stopped short of pledging its allegiance before Monday, even denying it last week – a move Sinai experts said was indicative of a split within the group.

New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch

Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters

Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.