Cairo, Sep 16 (IANS): Six policemen were killed when their armoured vehicle struck an explosive device in Egypt's northern Sinai city of Rafah Tuesday, an official security source said.

The blast happened as the vehicle hit the planted explosive device along the Rafah-Arish road, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

A statement published on the interior ministry's website confirmed that one police officer and five security personnel were killed and two other civilians were wounded in the blast.

Police and army forces are combing the area to search for the perpetrators.

Egypt has been suffering from an Islamist insurgency led by Sinai-based militants, who mainly target security forces since the 2013 ouster of Islamist leader Mohamed Morsi and the subsequent massive security crackdown on his supporters. Hundreds of soldiers and police officers have been killed.

The Sinai-based Al Qaeda-inspired Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis group has claimed responsibility for most of the attacks against the security personnel.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has vowed to fight terrorism and restore stability in the Arab world's most populous state.