Egyptian security forces freed on Tuesday a police officer who was kidnapped during the deadly shootout earlier this month between policemen and terrorists in Egypt’s Western Desert, Egypt's armed forces announced in a statement.

Police officer Mohamed El-Hayes was rescued in an operation by security forces near El-Wahat highway where a number of terrorists were killed.

El-Hayes has been taken to a military hospital for treatment, the statement read.

The officer had gone missing during the 19 October incident, which killed 16 policemen as they executed a raid on a terrorist hideout in Bahariya Oasis about 135 kilometers (83 miles) southwest of Giza.

The Egyptian interior ministry has not yet released a statement on the rescue.

El-Hayes' brother, Atef, told Al-Ahram Arabic news website that the family spoke to El-Hayes on the phone, and that he seemed in high spirits.