Sinai Province, an affiliate of IS, has released a 35-minute video warning Jews “your account with us has become weighty and you will soon pay a high price.”
The speaker in the video also directed threats at Israel promising that “Jews will not remain in Palestine” and that it will “turn it into a graveyard for Jews.”
Referring to the hostilities between Palestinians and Israelis, the video stated that “this is only the beginning” because the “punishment” the group has for the Jews is “severe.”
It also stated that the liberation of Palestine is still on its agenda as it noted that Israel has taken responsibility of its security by “strictly protecting (its borders,) recruiting agents and (launching) airstrikes” after it realized that it cannot depend on Egypt for its protection in the Sinai.
Israel had raised its alert level along the Sinai since July 2015 and increased its presence along its border with Egypt after the Sinai Province threatened to take over the Gaza Strip.
The video entitled “Flames of the Desert” is yet to be independently verified as emanating from the Sinai Province group.
Military officials have questioned the content of the video as they claim that the footages used in depicting attacks on Egyptian security forces are old. However, it would be difficult to verify because Cairo imposed a media coverage ban on its fight against extremist groups in the Sinai Province fearing that unveiling its casualties would affect the morale of its forces and the public in general.
Sinai Province militant group broke away from Ansar Beit al-Maqdis and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Since then, it has been playing a leading role in the insurgency in northern Sinai.
