Egypt military says killed leader of Islamic State in Sinai

Egypt's military said on Thursday it had killed Abu Duaa al-Ansari, which it identified as the leader of the Sinai branch of Islamic State, in a series of air strikes near the town of Arish, Reuters reports.

It said on its Facebook page that the strikes had also killed 45 other Islamic State fighters and destroyed arms and ammunition stores used by the group.

There was no immediate confirmation from Sinai Province, Islamic State's offshoot in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.