CAIRO (AA) – Egyptian police forces killed five militants in a shootout in southern Egypt, according to the country’s interior ministry on Monday.
In a statement, the ministry said police forces raided a suspected “terrorist” hideout in a mountainous area in southern Egypt during which the gunmen opened fire on the forces.
According to the statement, police forces responded to the fire, killing five of the militants.
Anadolu Agency could not verify the ministry's narrative from independent sources, but human rights groups accuse security forces of killing civilians during raids, a claim denied by the authorities.
Egypt has been battling a militant insurgency in recent years, particularly in the restive Sinai Peninsula, where scores of security forces were killed in attacks by Daesh-linked militant groups.
