An army officer and two civilians were shot dead in clashes between an armed gang and Egyptian army and police in the north Sinai town of Arish on Friday, security sources said.
About a hundred armed men rode through Arish on motorcycles and vehicles waving flags with Islamic slogans and firing in the air, terrifying the local population, Sinai security sources said.
The gang then attacked a police station, engaging in a shootout with Egyptian police and army that left one army officer dead. A 70-year-old man and a 13-year-old boy who were caught up in the shooting died from bullet wounds.
Another army officer and 11 security guards were wounded in the attack and taken to an army hospital for treatment, MENA state news agency.
Before reaching the police station, the attackers had camped at a main square in the city, raising black flags. They destroyed a statue of former President Anwar al-Sadat and fired shots in the air. A 12-year-old boy was wounded because of the firing.
Following the police station attack, the perpetrators continued to roam the city, firing at street lights in a quest to darken the area, according to witnesses.
A security source told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the military is sending special forces to secure the area.
The identity of the attackers was not known.
Witnesses said the attackers, many of whom wore masks, did not seem to be from the area as they lost their way several times before reaching the police station.