Egypts current operation against militants in the Sinai began in February (AFP/file photo)
Egyptian security forces on Saturday killed four suspected militants who tried to attack a police checkpoint in northern Sinai, state news agency MENA reported.
MENA said the militants, some armed with explosive belts, tried to storm a checkpoint near the city of el-Arish, the North Sinai provincial capital.
It cited a source as saying police officers killed four of them while the rest fled.
Security forces recovered 10 explosive charges, four automatic rifles, three suicide belts, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and hand grenades, MENA said.
Egypt police foil attack on North Sinai checkpoint; kill four terrorists: MENA https://t.co/O9t7a7Rsq2 pic.twitter.com/fUm6cgfkix
— Ahram Online (@ahramonline) August 25, 2018
Local media published pictures of at least two men, one lying on an asphalt road and another on the sand, and separate photographs of weapons found on them.
The agency made no mention of any police casualties, according to Reuters.
Still, Egyptian security sources told local Arabic-language media that four Egyptian policemen were also killed in the clash, while several others were wounded, Al Jazeera reported.
Authorities have not blamed any group for the attack and none has claimed responsibility, although Islamic State (IS) group militants are active in the region.
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Egypts current operation against militants in the Sinai began in February when President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered the army and security forces to crush IS after gunmen killed hundreds of worshippers at a mosque in Sinai last November.
An interior ministry spokesman could not immediately be reached for a comment.
Saturday's deaths raised to at least 329 the number of suspected militants killed in the campaign.
Egypt says fighting the hardline militants is a priority to restore security to the country 96 million people after years of turmoil that followed Arab Spring protests in 2011.
Sisi's critics say his presidency has brought a harsh crackdown against civil dissent.
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