Egyptian authorities on Tuesday (December 26) hanged fifteen men convicted of “terrorist” attacks, the AFP news agency reports citing police officials.

The executions took place in two prisons where these men were found guilty of attacking soldiers and policemen in the restive Sinai region, which is notorious for an armed insurgency.

According to the Cornell Law School’s Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide, Egypt remains one of the countries that has the death sentence on its law books and actually executes it.

The sole method of execution is through hanging. Amnesty International said there were at least 22 executions in 2015, the number is believed to have doubled the following year.

It is believed that thousands are facing are on the books to be executed. The government has resorted to hard measures in the light of growing security challenges.

Egypt in the last few years has experienced violent political revolution that hit the Arab world. It led to the toppling two presidents. The first being long serving leader, Hosni Mubarak and then democratically elected Mohammed Morsi.

The security situation especially in the northern Sinai region has been restive as insurgent groups continue to carry out deadly attacks on security and civilian populations.