Four Egypt Crewmen Die in Aircraft Crash During Op

Four Egyptian crewmen were killed when their aircraft malfunctioned and crashed during an operation against jihadists in the southwest of the country on Thursday, the army said.

The military spokesman said two crewmen were also wounded, and that four vehicles belonging to jihadists were destroyed during the operation.

No details were given on the type of aircraft or the nature of the operation.

The army has been fighting an Islamic State group insurgency in the eastern Sinai Peninsula, where the militants have killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen.

The reported clashes Thursday come a day after the Islamic State group said it beheaded a Croatian hostage abducted near Cairo.

A police official said it was believed the kidnappers had taken the hostage to the west of the country, where jihadists have staged a few attacks.

Egypt shares a long western border with Libya, where the Islamic State group also commands an affiliate.