At least 30 people were killed in attacks in the northern Sinai Peninsula on Thursday by the Islamist group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi cut short his visit to Ethiopia for the 24th African Union summit meeting and returned to Cairo on Friday.

Thursday’s mortar attacks and car bombs targeted several military and police sites. Several civilians and two children were among the dead, according to medical and security sources

Egyptian officials, including the Health Ministry have yet to confirm the casualties. However, security sources said military planes left Sinai for Cairo with 30 body bags. The sources said five men were critically injured and the death toll is expected to rise.

A security source said the army have responded to Thursday’s attacks with an offensive targeting terrorist hideouts using Apache helicopters and unmanned planes.

Attacks by militants, including Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, have risen in North Sinai since the July 2013 that toppled President Mohamed Morsi and eventually put El Sisi in power.

Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis recently pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State.

Egypt has been especially unsettled this week, the fourth anniversary of the 25 January Revolution that overthrew Hosni Mubarak. At least 23 people were killed by police on Sunday.

See Egypt Feature: The Killing of Activist Shaimaa al-Sabbagh by Regime Forces