[1][2][3] According to Al Jazeera, Bir al-Abed had been largely spared the violence that had rocked northern Sinai by insurgents following the ouster of Morsi 3 years ago.

A police official and medic told Agence France-Presse that mortar rounds and rockets were fired towards the army post by militants.

[1] The Islamic State's Wilayat Sinai branch quickly claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on social messaging app, Telegram.

The statement said that its "soldiers" were "safe and sound" and had seized arms and ammunition's from the Egyptian Army during the attack on the military checkpoint.

[1] Following the attack, President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi offered his condolences and sympathy to the families of the 12 Egyptian soldiers who were killed, referring to them as "heroes.