A police detective was killed in a shootout with criminals in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Qena on Thursday, the interior ministry said in a statement.

Police were transferring an arrested criminal, who is wanted in connection with four criminal cases, when two other “criminals on motorcycles” opened fired at them. As the arrested suspect attempted to escape, the police returned fire.

During the shootout, the chief detective from the city of Qous was killed and three other police personnel injured.

"The three criminals were killed in the shootout," according to the statement. 

Police seized two automatic rifles in the possession of the attackers.