Egypt’s Ministry of Interior announced on Tuesday that police killed three militants suspected of being members of the militant group Hasm after they shot at security forces who were trying to apprehend them in Alexandria.

The location of the suspected militants was determined using information obtained by the National Security Agency, according to the statement published by the interior ministry.

The ministry stated that weapons and ammunition were found in the possession of the militants.

On Sunday, Hasm claimed responsibility for an attack on a police checkpoint, which killed one policeman and injured four others earlier that day in Maadi, Cairo. 

Hasm, which is designated as a terrorist organisation, has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks against Egyptian security personnel, mostly at security checkpoints.

Egyptian security forces have arrested dozens of suspected Hasm members in the past few months.

According to interior ministry officials, the group is linked to the banned-Muslim Brotherhood organisation.