Egypt’s military said six soldiers were killed in clashes with armed smugglers near the country’s western border with Libya on Thursday.
The soldiers were patrolling the border when they “came under surprise fire” from the smugglers, a military statement said, adding that a number of smugglers were killed in the exchange of fire.
Three others were wounded and later flown to a military hospital in the Egyptian capital for treatment.
Meanwhile, Egypt celebrated the army’s 2013 overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood government with a new national holiday on Thursday.
In Cairo, warplanes flew overhead in honor of the holiday as supporters of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi geared for rallies.

Source: Arab News