Cairo, Jan 23 (IANS): At least five policemen were shot dead and two others injured early Thursday morning in an armed attack on a checkpoint in Egypt's Beni Sweif governorate, south of capital city Cairo.
"A group of militants riding two motorbikes shot heavily at the checkpoint and exchanged fire with the security men," Xinhua cited the official Al-Ahram Online as quoting Beni Sweif's police chief.
Armed attacks on security premises were mounted following the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi by the military last July.
Supporters of Morsi have staged numerous protests since he was deposed, denouncing the army's move as "a coup" and calling for his reinstatement.