President of Egypt declares emergency in Sinai Peninsula after 31 soldiers killed in attacks

President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt has declared a three-month state of emergency in parts of the Sinai Peninsula following the death of at least 31 soldiers in two attacks bbc.com. The President has also declared three days of mourning in the wake of the suspected jihadist attacks.

No one has claimed responsibility for the suicide blast at an army checkpoint that killed 28 soldiers. Another 28 others were injured in the attack near El Arish which is the main town in the north of the restive peninsula. Moreover, death of three more soldiers were reported due to a separate shooting incident at a checkpoint in the town itself.
Egypt's Rafah crossing into the Gaza Strip was also closed.
This has been touted as the biggest loss of life in decades for Egypt's army – it has been waging a war against jihadists in northern Sinai.

Incidentally, the law and order situation in the area has deteriorated since President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in 2011 and the militants have also stepped up attacks after Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was ousted by the army last year.