ISIS announces death of one of its Egypt branch leaders

The Egyptian army has killed hundreds of suspected militants since February

Egyptian Army soldiers are seen in the troubled northern part of the Sinai peninsula during a launch of a major assault against militants, in Al Arish, Egypt. Reuters  

A local leader of ISIS in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula has been killed, the group and a security source said.

The group identified the leader as Abu Jaafar Al Maqdesi and released a poster-like mourning notice titled "Caravans of shuhada (martyrs)" with a photo of a smiling, bearded man wearing a coat and a cap.

"Brother Abu Jaafar Al Maqdesi, may God accept him," a brief message posted on the group's telegram channels read, without giving details on where, when or how he was killed.

An Egyptian security source on Sunday identified the man as the head of ISIS in the Mediterranean town of Sheikh Zuweid, located near the border with the Gaza Strip.

The Egyptian army, backed by security forces, has killed hundreds of suspected militants in a major operation that began in February targeting insurgents behind a series of attacks against military and civilian targets in the Sinai.

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