Police Raids Egypt

Egyptian security forces hunting gunmen who ambushed a police vehicle in southern Egypt shot dead six Muslim militants in a dawn raid Monday, security sources said. They said a policeman was also killed in the raid, taking the death toll in violence between militants and security forces since Sunday to 14--the bloodiest 24 hours this year. Witnesses said the bodies of the militants were riddled with five or six bullets each.

Hundreds of Egyptian police using armored personnel carriers battled Muslim guerrillas in a quarry hide-out, killing 12 militants. Police said the battle in the southern village of Bani Khaled lasted several hours and took the death toll from political violence in one day to 18 in three clashes.

Hundreds of Egyptian police using armored personnel carriers battled Muslim guerrillas in a quarry hide-out, killing 12 militants. Police said the battle in the southern village of Bani Khaled lasted several hours and took the death toll from political violence in one day to 18 in three clashes.

Egyptian security forces hunting gunmen who ambushed a police vehicle in southern Egypt shot dead six Muslim militants in a dawn raid Monday, security sources said. They said a policeman was also killed in the raid, taking the death toll in violence between militants and security forces since Sunday to 14--the bloodiest 24 hours this year. Witnesses said the bodies of the militants were riddled with five or six bullets each.

Twelve people were killed Wednesday when about 350 police employing armored vehicles stormed two apartment buildings where Muslim militants fighting to turn Egypt into a purist Islamic state had barricaded themselves. Security sources in Asyut, 200 miles south of Cairo, said one of the dead was a 23-year-old militant believed to have led a campaign of attacks on foreigners that has ravaged Egypt's tourist industry.

Egyptian authorities, faced with a growing wave of Islamic fundamentalist violence, unleashed a major new crackdown against suspected extremists Wednesday that left 26 people dead and at least 40 others wounded.

Twelve people were killed Wednesday when about 350 police employing armored vehicles stormed two apartment buildings where Muslim militants fighting to turn Egypt into a purist Islamic state had barricaded themselves. Security sources in Asyut, 200 miles south of Cairo, said one of the dead was a 23-year-old militant believed to have led a campaign of attacks on foreigners that has ravaged Egypt's tourist industry.

Egyptian authorities, faced with a growing wave of Islamic fundamentalist violence, unleashed a major new crackdown against suspected extremists Wednesday that left 26 people dead and at least 40 others wounded.