CAIRO, Mar 6 (Aswat Masriya) - Two conscripts were killed and another injured when an explosive device went off as a police vehicle passed by in Sheikh Zuweid on Sunday, a security source said.

The source told Aswat Masriya the incident took place during a security campaign to arrest members of the Sinai Province militant group which was previously known as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis and has been among the most active militant groups in Egypt. 

Ansar changed its name to Sinai Province after pledging allegiance to Islamic State fighters in Nov. 2014. The group has claimed responsibility for the majority of the attacks in Sinai over the past year.

The group claimed responsibility for the downing of a Russian plane, which crashed in the Sinai desert on Oct. 31 killing all passengers and crew on board.

Militancy inside Egypt has seen a significant rise since the military ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July 2013, following mass protests against his rule.

North Sinai is at the epicenter of insurgency as most attacks take place there, targeting security forces.

According to separate statements by the armed forces, Egyptian security forces have killed hundreds of militants in Sinai over the past two years.