Egypt's military has claimed it has killed the leader of the ISIS terror cell responsible for the shooting down of a Russian passenger jet which killed 224 people.

Terror group leader Abu Duaa al-Ansari was killed in Sinai along with 45 of his top aides and other militants in a series of airstrikes, according to a military spokesman.

The airstrikes, launched near the town of Arish, also destroyed arms and ammunition stores used by the group.

Known as Wilayat Sayna, the group has been branded the 'most dangerous terror group in Egypt' following a five-year campaign of bloody attacks.

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Terror group leader Abu Duaa al-Ansari was killed in strikes alongside 45 other ISIS fighters, according to a military spokesman. The military released these images of the strikes in Arish on its Facebook page

The series of airstrikes were launched near the town of Arish, and also destroyed arms and ammunition stores used by the group, the military wrote on its Facebook page

As well as the deaths, the military announced that 'dozens' of fighters had been wounded.

'These successful operations avenge our martyrs, and keep the punishment of all militants and their leaders on track,' an army spokesman said in a Facebook post.

He said counter-terrorism forces backed by war planes guided by 'accurate intelligence' carried out the operation.

The Sinai Branch, formerly known as Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, claimed responsibility for the shooting down of a Metrojet passenger plane in October 2015.

EGYPT'S 'MOST DANGEROUS' TERROR GROUP'S BLOODY CAMPAIGN January 2014: Downed a Egyptian military helicopter in the Sinai with a missile launcher, killed 5 January 2014: Series of bomb attacks across Cairo, killed 6, wounded 70+ February 2014: Attacked tourist bus in Sinai, killed 4 August 2014: Released execution video of four Egyptian citizens July 2015: Claimed missile on Egyptian naval patrol boat off the coast of the Sinai October 2015: Claimed shooting down of Russian passenger jet that killed 224 Advertisement

The Metrojet Airbus A321 was en route from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg in Russia when it was brought down, killing all 224 people on board.

President Putin said at the time: 'Killing our people at Sinai is among the most bloody crimes judging by the number of victims.

'And we won't wipe our tears away from our hearts and souls. It will remain with us forever.

'But it won't stop us from finding and punishing the criminals.'

The militants also downed an Egyptian military helicopter in January 2014 with a surface-to-air missile, killing all five people on board.

Although it swore allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in November 2014, the group has killed scores of Egyptian army personnel, politicians and civilians since 2011 in a campaign of terror that has included suicide bombers, car bombs and roadside IEDs.

There was no immediate confirmation from Sinai Province, the terror group's offshoot in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

The Sinai-based branch of ISIS claimed responsibility for shooting down a Russian passenger jet over Sinai in October last year

The Metrojet Airbus A321 was en route from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg in Russia when it was brought down, killing all 224 people on board

The militants also downed an Egyptian military helicopter in January 2014 with a surface-to-air missile (pictured), killing all five people on board

It comes as the ISIS faction released a video naming Egypt and its military forces as its primary targets.

Since Egypt's military overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, jihadists have stepped up attacks on the army and police with near daily attacks in North Sinai.

The terror cell's exact size is unknown, but estimates say they have between hundred and a few thousand fighters.

According to TRAC, the Terrorism research and Analysis Consortium, they are mostly composed of local Bedouins, but also recruits members from Egypt and beyond.

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