Egyptian authorities will continue to combat outlaws in the Sinai Peninsula, North Sinai security chief Samih Bashadi said on Wednesday.

Bashadi refused to say if militants who released seven hostages on Wednesday morning would be targetted, Turkish news agency Anadolu reported.

A Bedouin tribal sheikh said the hostages were released following an agreement mediated by tribal leaders and overseen by military intelligence.

During a press conference at Cairo's Al-Maza airbase on Wednesday morning, shortly after the hostages had arrived, President Morsi said military reinforcements would remain in the peninsula.

Seven security personnel – a conscript of the armed forces and six police personnel – had been held by unidentified kidnappers in the Sinai Peninsula since their abduction last Thursday.

A security source told Al-Ahram Arabic news website that the hostages were picked up by a military helicopter after being left in the desert around 70km south of Al-Arish.

The incident was the first time Egyptian security personnel have been abducted by Sinai-based militants.