Four Egypt crewman die in aircraft crash during op

CAIRO:  Four Egyptian crewman were killed when their
aircraft malfunctioned and crashed during an operation
against jihadists in  the southwest of the country on
Thursday ,the army said

The military spokesman said two crewmen were also
wounded ,and that four vehicles belonging to jihadists
were destroyed  during the operation,No details were
given on the type of aircraft or the nature of the operation
The army has been fighting an Islamic state group
insurgency in the eastern Sinai Peninsula ,where the
militants have killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen.

The reported clashes Thursday come a day after the
Islamic State group said it beheaded a Croatian hostage
abducted near Cairo..A police official said it was
believed the kidnappers had taken the hostage to the
west of the country ,where jihadists have staged
a few attacks.

Egypt shares a long western border with Libya
where the Islamic State group also commands
an affiliate  AFP