Fresh clashes in Sinai leave policeman wounded

Here we go again: An Egyptian policeman was wounded when clashes with gunmen erupted during a hunt in the northern Sinai for individuals suspected of involvement in a spate of bombings, a security official said. The official said that two policemen were also briefly kidnapped by the same gunmen in the Jabal Halal area. "The officer was lightly wounded by bullet shrapnel but only had to receive first aid at a nearby hospital," the official said. The two other policemen were released after local religious figures negotiated with the militants, he added. Egyptian forces have been sweeping the Jabal Halal area since August, a month after deadly suicide blasts killed almost 70 people in the Sharm el-Sheikh Red Sea resort. Mind you, Jabal Halal is where the riveting stand-off between the 4000 egyptian policemen and the 15 militants whom they were too afraid to bring down took place. This is the first we have heard of what's going on in this area since august due to a press gag order banning the reporting of developments issued- probably out of embaressment- by our not-incompetent-at-all police. Again, let me mention how extatic I am that my security and well-being is being protected by those people. Awesome.