Security forces killed on Thursday a militant during a security raid in the metropolitan Cairo area, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry.

The militant was killed after opening fire at police forces, according to the statement.

Police raided an apartment building in Abu-Zaabal in northern Cairo, where state intelligence sources indicated the militant was residing.

The statement said the man was wanted for his involvement in a range of violent incidents, including attacks on security checkpoints and police personnel.

On Wednesday, police forces killed three militants during a security raid in Upper Egypt's Assiut governorate.

The three were wanted for attacks on security forces and belonging to the "Sawaaed Masr" and "Hasm" groups, which the state designates as terrorist organisations. According to the interior ministry the three had sought haven in a village in Assiut to plan further attacks against security forces..

Attacks against Egypt's security forces have become common in recent years but are mostly concentrated in North Sinai, where army and police are battling an entrenched Islamist insurgency.