20 militants killed by airstrikes in Egypt's restive Sinai

Egyptian security forces launched airstrikeson Islamist militants' hideouts in Egypt's restive Sinai region onFriday, killing 20 insurgents, a security official told dpa.Intensive airstrikes were carried out on mountainous areas whereinsurgents are believed to be hiding, the source said.The security source confirmed that airstrikes and shelling resultedin the killing of 20 "terrorist elements" who were trying to escapefrom the strikes south of the city of Bir al-Abed. He added that the airstrikes are still continuing.   The strikes came a day after Islamist militants killed five people intwo separate attacks in Egypt's volatile Sinai region.Three of the five were killed in an ambush by gunmen on a road incentral Sinai, the witnesses said. The other two deaths occurred after a suspected extremist blewhimself up near a military armoured vehicle stationed at a taxi standin the city of Sheikh Zweid in the North Sinai province, injuring apolice conscript and a civilian, who later died in hospital.Both attacks were claimed by the Islamic State terrorist group. North Sinai is a hotbed for radical Islamists, who have claimed aseries of deadly attacks on security forces in the largely desertregionEgypt has battled an insurgency in North Sinai since the 2011uprising, which toppled long-time autocrat Hosny Mubarak.