CAIRO, Mar  6 (Aswat Masriya) - The Egyptian armed forces killed five purported to be "terrorists in North Sinai" after they opened fire on security forces, the armed forces said in statement on Sunday.   

According to the armed forces, the militants opened fire at a security checkpoint in Sheikh Zuweid, which has often been the site of militant attacks over the past few years.

Aswat Masriya could not independently verify the content of the army statement. Anti-terrorism legislation imposes heavy fines on news organizations that contradict official statements, specifically death tolls and other casualties.

Militancy inside Egypt has surged since the military ouster of former president Mohamed Mursi in July 2013. While the vast majority of bombings and shootings take place in North Sinai, other parts of the country have been affected too.

Security personnel are the main targets of attacks but in May, three prosecutors and a driver were killed when gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in North Sinai's Arish city.

According to separate statements by the armed forces, Egyptian authorities have killed hundreds of militants in Sinai in security crackdowns.