Egypt’s Interior Ministry announced on Wednesday that at least 11 terrorists were killed in the military and security forces’ ongoing operation in northern Sinai. The MENA news agency quoted an unnamed security official as saying that they were killed during a shootout when forces raided a hideout in the city of al-Arish. The security forces dismantled two explosive devices and seized weapons. The terrorists were planning to target next month anniversary of the Rabaa and al-Nahda demonstrations, but the security forces’ preemptive measures thwarted their plot, said the ministry. Egypt has been battling militants for years, but the Sinai-based insurgency gained strength after the 2013 overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. In February, Egypt launched a massive operation against militants in Sinai and other parts of the country.