al Qaeda downs Egyptian special forces helicopter

DEBKAfile’s military sources report exclusively:

Egyptian special forces helicopter shot down Wednesday by wanted al Qaeda Taba bombers still hiding out in central Sinai mountains. Pilot force-landed craft. Twenty Egyptian crewmen and troops hospitalized with injuries.

Bombers who killed 34 in three attacks on Oct. 7 are still at large in Sinai despite intensive Egyptian pursuit - indicating al Qaeda infrastructure in peninsula. This was first Egyptian combat helicopter ever shot down.

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