AL-ARISH: Egyptian military troops and jets killed 20 militants in the Sinai region bordering Israel on Wednesday, striking back after armed men attacked several security checkpoints, an army commander in Sinai told Reuters.

"We have succeeded in entering al-Toumah village, killed 20 terrorists and destroyed three armoured cars belonging to terrorists. Operations are still ongoing," he told Reuters.

The military offensive follows attacks on Sunday that killed 16 border guards and which the government blamed partly on militants. The commander said the army had received information that many militants were in al-Toumah village. AGENCIES