海角大神

听补苍诲听聽are coordinating on Cairo's biggest security sweep in decades against militants in聽, in which 32 people have been killed, an army spokesman said on Saturday, the first clear statement on communication between the neighbours.

聽fears Islamist militants, possibly linked to al Qaeda, have gained a foothold in the聽聽border area since the overthrow last year of President聽.

Israeli officials have privately voiced concern about heavy military equipment being sent to, which is subject to restrictions on the deployment of weapons under the 1979 peace treaty between聽听补苍诲听.

颁辞濒辞苍别濒听聽told a news conference in Cairo that 32 "criminal elements" were killed and 38 suspects arrested, including non-Egyptians, during the operation which began on Aug. 7.

"聽is coordinating with the Israeli side over the presence of Egyptian armed forces in聽. They know this.

"The deployment of the armed forces on all the territory of聽聽is not a violation of the peace treaty between聽听补苍诲听," he said.

The sweep began after militants killed 16 border guards on Aug. 5 in the worst attack since's 1973 war with聽.

Ali said the operation "will continue until its goals have been achieved ... These are not just military goals but also developmental goals for聽."

Bedouin tribes in the area have long complained of neglect by the central government.

Hundreds of troops with tanks, armoured vehicles and helicopters were sent to聽聽in a joint operation with police to raid militant hideouts, arrest suspects and seize weapons.

罢丑别听聽is replacing some of its heavy tanks in聽聽with light armoured vehicles, security sources said this week.

But Ali rejected the idea that聽聽was pulling out its heavy equipment in response to pressure from聽. He said the operation was entering a new phase that required different equipment.

"The military operation is in the interest of all sides," he said.

Asked whether聽聽was coordinating with the聽听辞惫别谤听, Ali said: "Cooperation between聽聽and the U.S. is strategic, long-standing and goes beyond simple military operations. However, the military operations in聽聽are independent, carried out by the capabilities of the Egyptian armed forces."

Some 31 tunnels used to smuggle goods into the聽-谤耻濒别诲听聽Strip were also destroyed, he said. The tunnel trade is central to聽's economy which has suffered under an Israeli blockade on the Palestinian territory imposed in 2006.

The tunnels have also been used to smuggle weapons. "We have seized arms, rockets, RPGs and automatic rifles," Ali said.

Disorder has spread in聽聽since Mubarak was ousted in a popular uprising, with Islamist militants stepping up attacks on Egyptian security forces and the Israeli border.聽's new president, Mohamed Mursi, has vowed to restore order.

"The armed forces will combat thought with thought and arms with arms. We will only use weapons with those who have weapons," Ali said.