CAIRO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian army said on Wednesday that 20 militants were killed over the past few days in raids in North Sinai Province and the Western Desert region.

In northern and central Sinai, the forces killed 13 militants, destroyed 18 hideouts, and captured 18 wanted suspects, according to Egyptian military spokesman Tamer al-Refai.

The forces also defused 41 explosive devices and destroyed 49 vehicles used by militants and smugglers, he said.

The raids are part of the "Sinai 2018" comprehensive anti-terror operation, which has killed more than 400 militants since its launched in February, with more than 30 soldiers losing their lives during the confrontations.

Egypt has been fighting a wave of terrorism that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, as well as civilians, since the military removed former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his Muslim Brotherhood group that is currently blacklisted as a terrorist organization.

A Sinai-based group loyal to the regional Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for most of the terrorist attacks in Egypt over the past few years.

Meanwhile, security forces killed hundreds of terrorists and arrested thousands of suspects during the country's anti-terror war declared by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, the army chief then, following Morsi's removal.