CAIRO, May 25 (Aswat Masriya) – Egypt's military said it killed 85 militants in North Sinai on Wednesday in the context of the "Martyr's Right" operation that began in October 2014.

The army carried out military operations that included airstrikes of the "takfiris' hideouts during the past four days in North Sinai's Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah," the army's spokesperson Mohamed Samir said in a statement.

The killings come in the context of the third stage of the "Martyr's Right" operation, the first stage of which was launched by security forces in response to an attack in October 2014 that killed 33 security personnel.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had declared a state of emergency in North Sinai following that attack, which has been claimed by the Islamic State-affiliate Sinai Province.

The state of emergency imposed in a number of areas in Sinai has been renewed several times since.

On Tuesday, Egypt's parliament voted with a majority in favour of a presidential decree that extends the state of emergency in North Sinai for three months.

Egypt’s prime minister previously said that the declaration of the state of emergency in some areas in North Sinai did not eliminate militancy but helped in containing and minimising it.

North Sinai militants have stepped up attacks targeting security forces since the military ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July 2013 after mass protests against his rule.

The Egyptian military says it has killed hundreds of “terrorists” in the context of the “Martyr’s Right” military operation according to its published statements.

The Islamic State-affiliate, Sinai Province, has frequently claimed responsibility for attacks occurring in the Sinai Peninsula.

Aswat Masriya could not independently verify the content of these statements. Anti-terrorism legislation imposes heavy fines on news organisations that contradict official statements.