DHAKA: Egypt has evicted and demolished the homes of 3,200 families in the Sinai peninsula in violation of international law.

Human Rights Watch says, reports the BBC.

The military has been razing homes along the border with the Gaza Strip to create a ‘buffer zone’ and eliminate smuggling tunnels.

The demolitions began in 2013 after a surge in attacks by jihadist militants.

But those evicted are given little or no warning, no temporary housing and inadequate compensation, HRW alleges.

The US-based group also questions why the military appears not to have used available technology to detect and destroy the smuggling tunnels.

The Egyptian authorities have not commented on the report.

So far, the military has destroyed nearly all buildings and farmland within about 1km of the Gaza border in North Sinai using uncontrolled explosives and earth-moving equipment, according to analysis of satellite imagery, videos and interviews with residents by HRW detailed in a new report released on Tuesday.

Dozens of buildings more than 1km from the frontier have also been demolished.

Egypt aims to eventually clear an area of about 79 sq km on the Gaza border, including all of the town of Rafah, which has a population of about 78,000 people, HRW says.

BDST: 1337 HRS, SEPT 22, 2015
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