Cairo, Sep 1 (IANS): At least seven militants were killed when security forces raided areas in Egypt's Sinai region, an official said Monday.

According to the official, one militant, who was responsible for abducting seven soldiers during the rule of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, was killed during an operation Sunday, Xinhua reported.

Fayez Abou Sheeta, leader of Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, was also wanted for killing police officers and soldiers in the city of Arish during Morsi's rule, the official said.

The seven soldiers were abducted last May and were released a week later after mediations by Bedouin and tribal leaders.

In another operation in the northern Sinai city of Rafah, security forces killed six militants and arrested 10 others.

Members of the blacklisted group gathered at a house in the southern village of al-Wefaq.

The military seized automatic weapons, hand grenades, military uniforms and destroyed 18 houses that were used by the militants.

The security campaign came three days after the group announced that it had decapitated four Sinai residents, claiming that they collaborated with Israel.

The Sinai Peninsula has seen a surge in violence since the army ousted Morsi amid mass protests in July last year.