Egypt’s army said Thursday it killed 19 presumed jihadists in the Sinai peninsula during a large-scale “anti-terror” operation.

Egyptian forces launched operation “Sinai 2018” in February in the peninsula where soldiers and security forces have been battling the Islamic State group.

A military statement said 19 suspected extremists were killed in gun battles with army and security forces in the central and northern Sinai in recent days.

Around 200 jihadists and at least 33 soldiers have been killed since the operation was launched, according to official figures.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, on a visit to the Sinai last month, promised residents the operation would be finished “as soon as possible”.