BICOM

The most prominent terror group in the Sinai Peninsula, which has on occasion attacked Israel, yesterday pledged allegiance to ISIS.

Links between the Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis group and ISIS have previously been reported in the media, but yesterday the group issued a statement announcing its formal loyalty to ISIS. The statement said, “After entrusting God we decided to swear allegiance to the emir of the faithful Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, caliph of the Muslims in Syria and Iraq and in other countries.”

Since last year’s ousting of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the regime of President al-Sisi has been the main target of Sinai terror groups, especially Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis. In response, Egypt’s military has launched an ongoing offensive against the group, including the destruction of more than 1,500 smuggling tunnels into Sinai from the Gaza Strip. Last week though, Egypt’s military suffered a significant blow as a huge terror attack in northern Sinai killed more than 30 Egyptian soldiers.

Although the regime in Cairo has been the primary target for Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, the group has also made clear that it is committed to attacking Israel. In January, two rockets were fired by the group on Eilat, Israel’s southernmost city, also an important tourist resort and commercial port. The city came under fire last year too and its airport was briefly closed last year as a precaution. In August, Ansar broadcast that it had decapitated four Egyptians who it accused of spying for Israel. Beheadings have become the hallmark of ISIS activity and have been roundly condemned by world leaders.

Two weeks ago, two Israeli soldiers were injured while repelling an attempted border infiltration via the Sinai Peninsula. Although no group took formal responsibility, Egyptian media reported that Ansar was behind the attack. There have been two infiltrations across the Israeli border since 2011, one of which resulted in the deaths of eight Israelis.