Two policemen were killed and one conscript was injured on Friday after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated on a North Sinai highway, Egypt’s interior ministry announced on Friday.

In an official statement, the ministry said that unknown assailants planted the IED on the roadside of a highway in the vicinity of Al-Arish’s police station. The IED detonated as a water tanker was en route to distribute water to security checkpoints on the highway.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. 

The deadly attack against security forces comes days after Egypt’s army launched a new concerted campaign to fight Islamist militants in north Sinai in response to last Friday's militant attack that killed 12 army soldiers and injured six others.

During the week, the army said it has killed over 50 militants.