El-Sisi's visit comes after a deadly attack that hit two cities in North Sinai Wednesday leaving 17 army personnel, including four officers, killed and more than 100 militants dead.
For the first time since he took office in June 2014, El-Sisi donned his military uniform to salute police and military officers in North Sinai, the state news agency MENA reported — a gesture to express solidarity with army and police officers following the ISIL attacks.
The fight continued for several hours between Egyptian security forces and militants affiliated with the ISIL in Sheikh Zuweid city until Egyptian air force strikes forced the militants to withdraw after suffering major losses.