Bombing targets troops near Egypt-Gaza border

EL ARISH, Egypt — A bomb exploded Monday near Egyptian troops demolishing houses along the border with the Gaza Strip, causing no casualties but prompting authorities to raise security alert levels in the area as Egypt clears a buffer zone to halt weapons smuggling, military officials said.

The border town of Rafah and its surrounding areas in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula have been under a state of emergency for more than a week since an October 24 militant assault killed 31 troops. It was the deadliest attack on Egyptian troops in recent times.

No one claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the Northern Sinai has become a stronghold of Islamist militants who have carried out scores of attacks in recent months, mainly targeting soldiers and police.

Following the killing of the 31 troops, the government declared it will create a 500-metre buffer zone along Egypt's 13-kilometre border with Gaza extending from the Mediterranean Sea. Over the past week, troops demolished 300 houses out of more than 800 targeted, home to more than 10,000 residents.