A senior Egyptian military officer, Col. Rami Hassanein, and one soldier were killed Oct. 29 in a targeted roadside bomb attack outside Sheikh Zuweid in the northern Sinai peninsula, Reuters reported. Two soldiers were also injured. The remote region is home to numerous militant factions, some with ties to the Islamic State. Meanwhile, Egypt’s government is embroiled in controversy over austerity measures, ratcheting up political instability in core areas.