SUMMARY

Since the Arab Spring uprising in Egypt, which started in 2011, the security situation in the Sinai Peninsula has deteriorated significantly. A number of different jihadist groups have taken advantage of the weakened security structure in the area and strengthened their positions. The security situation in the peninsula deteriorated further in 2013, following the military’s ouster of President Mohammed Morsi. The use of car bombs, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as well as targeted assassinations were frequently reported. In most cases, the incidents of violence were reported to have been carried out by unknown militants/terrorists/gunmen. The government troops also carried out a number of larger crackdowns in the Sinai Peninsula, resulting in high death tolls.

Some of the attacks in the Sinai Peninsula in 2013 were, however, assigned to Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, but the violence was not included in UCDP data for 2013 due to lack of a stated goal of incompatibility.

In an article from 1 February 2014, it was noted that the group considers the police and army “apostates” and that they therefore consider it their religious duty to wage war against the security forces. According to the group, the police and army are “empowering a secular government that does not rule according to God’s laws” and are “protecting a constitution that permits what God has forbidden and forbids what God has permitted”. The precise date of these statements are not clear, therefor, 1 February 2014 was set at the date of first stated goal of incompatibility.

In November 2014, the group pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS) and became part of it.