An Egyptian policeman and a militant were killed when security forces raided a hideout used by radical Islamists near Alexandria yesterday, and a senior officer was killed near Cairo when a bomb blew up his car, the Interior Ministry said.

Police seize weapons, explosive belts, hand grenades and ammunition

Militant violence has spiralled since the army toppled Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood last July. That poses a security challenge ahead of a presidential election in May that Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the former army chief, is expected to win.

The hideout targeted in the raid was used by members of Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, or Supporters of Jeru-salem, the group behind some of the deadliest attacks of the last months, the Interior Ministry said. The militants had opened fire on the security forces as they arrived at the hideout in Borg El Arab, some 45 kilometres south-west of Alexandria.

The police officer killed in the raid was named as First Lieutenant Ahmed Saad and the dead militant as Hassan Abdel Aal, a 25-year old from the Nile Delta province of Dakahlia.

Two other militants were detained, the ministry spokes-man, Hany Abdel Latif, said in a televised statement. Footage broadcast on state TV appeared to show the body of a militant on the ground.

The militants were “among the dangerous elements of the terrorist group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which was planning to target police and military facilities and the security forces”, the ministry said. The police seized weapons including explosive belts, automatic weapons, hand grenades and ammunition.

The police officer killed near Cairo yesterday was named as Brigadier General Ahmed Zaki.

Egypt’s state media said the man was killed outside his home in 6th of October City, 32 kilometres outside Cairo, when a bomb that had been placed under his car went off.

Two conscript policemen were wounded in the bombing. Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis has claimed responsibility for attacks including a failed attempt to blow up the interior minister last September, and large bomb attacks on police stations.

The US this month designated Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis as a terrorist group.

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