2012 Egyptian–Israeli border attack
| August 2012 Sinai attack | |
|---|---|
| Part of Sinai insurgency | |
  The attack site
The location of the Sinai Peninsula within Egypt
|
|
| Location | Sinai Peninsula, Egypt and Kerem Shalom border crossing |
| Coordinates | 31°13′N 34°17′E / 31.217°N 34.283°ECoordinates: 31°13′N 34°17′E / 31.217°N 34.283°E |
| Date | 5 August 2012 |
| Target | Egyptian military base, Kerem Shalom border crossing. |
| Weapons | Rocket-propelled grenades, armored cars |
| Deaths | 16 Egyptian soldiers, 8 gunmen |
|
Non-fatal injuries
|
7 |
| Perpetrators | Mainly Bedouin residents of the Sinai |
|
Suspected perpetrators
|
Other suspected perpetrators include Islamist militants, global jihad fighters,Gaza-based terror groups |
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No. of participants
|
35 |
| Motive | Unknown |
The August 2012 Sinai attack occurred on 5 August 2012, when armed men ambushed an Egyptian military base in the Sinai Peninsula, killing 16 soldiers and stealing two armored cars, which they used to infiltrate into Israel. The attackers broke through the Kerem Shalom border crossing to Israel, where one of the vehicles exploded. They then engaged in a firefight with soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, during which six of the attackers were killed. No Israelis were injured.
The attack led to sharp condemnations from Israeli and Egyptian authorities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences for the Egyptian soldiers killed, and praised IDF troops for their preparedness and handling of the attack. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned that the incident should be a "wake up call" for Egypt in dealing with terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula, while Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi vowed to retake the Sinai Peninsula and declared three days of mourning. The Egyptian government also closed the Rafah Border Crossing to the Gaza Strip.
Following the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, militant organizations increased their activity in the Sinai Peninsula, and some al-Qaeda-linked groups were established as well. These militants have been frequently attacking and bombing gas pipelines in the Sinai running between Egypt and Israel. As of July 2012[update], there have been 15 bombings on these gas pipelines since the 2011 uprising.
In August 2011, a series of cross-border attacks were carried out in southern Israel on Highway 12 near the Egyptian border via the Sinai Peninsula. The terrorists opened fire on an Egged No. 392 bus near Eilat, and soon thereafter, a bomb was detonated next to an Israeli army patrol along the Egypt–Israel border. A third attack occurred when an anti-tank missile hit a private vehicle, killing four civilians. Eight Israelis – six civilians, one Yamam Special Unit police officer, and one Golani Brigade soldier – were killed during the multi-pronged attack. The Israeli security forces reported eight attackers killed, and Egyptian security forces reported killing another two.
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Wikipedia