Five Egyptian policemen were killed late on Wednesday when unidentified assailants opened fire on them in Egypt's North Sinai, the interior ministry has said.
The unknown gunmen opened fire on security forces standing post in a southwestern district of the provincial capital of Al-Arish.
Forces exchanged fire with the assailants, resulting in the death of three police officers and two low-ranking personnel, the ministry added in a statement on Thursday.
Three policemen were also wounded in the attack.
Security forces have cordoned off the scene of the attack, combing the area in search of the perpetrators.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Wednesday attack.
Egypt has been working to quell an Islamist insurgency that spiked after the 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.
The militancy, based in parts of North Sinai, has killed hundreds of security forces. Authorities have also reported that hundreds of militants have been killed in army campaigns in the governorate.
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