Egypt's security forces killed two “extremely dangerous terrorists” after an exchange of fire in Qalioubiya, north of Cairo, the interior ministry said in a statement on Monday.

The two men, aged 37 and 42, were planning to carry out hostile operations, the ministry stated, adding that the terrorists had sought refuge in an apartment in Qalag district, Qalioubiya.

An automatic rifle, a gun, and several types of bullets were found with the terrorists, according to the ministry.

The two men belonged to a takfiri terrorist cell that the security forces targeted in April in a pre-emptive strike in the capital. The ministry at the time affirmed that the cell planned to carry out terrorist attacks during the Easter holiday.

During the April raid on a hideout in El-Amiriya neighbourhood in eastern Cairo, security forces killed seven terrorists. One officer was killed during the exchange of fire.

Several terrorist attacks have been launched against civilians, Christians, security and army forces, and Muslim worshippers since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and the dispersal of his supporters’ sit-ins in 2013.