Egypt says its police forces have killed 11 militants in the northern Sinai Peninsula, after several attacks in the last two days have killed eight policemen and three civilians in the restive area.

An Interior Ministry statement Thursday says security forces exchanged fire with the Islamic militants, but no casualties were reported among the police as they stormed the insurgent hideout in the Mediterranean coastal city of el-Arish.

The ministry says it found weapons, two explosive devices and two explosive belts.

On Wednesday, Egyptian security officials said two separate explosive attacks overnight killed four policemen, a day after an Islamic State suicide bomber killed four policemen and three civilians.

Egypt has for years battled Islamic militants in Sinai.