(Reuters) - Two police officers were killed in a shootout with gunmen who probably belonged to Islamic State in Egypt’s northern Sinai on Tuesday, security sources said.

Attacks against security forces are common in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, where Egypt is fighting an insurgency against Islamist militant groups.

Islamic State has the targeted security forces since the ouster of President Mohamed Mursi in 2013. It has increasingly aimed its attacks at Coptic Christians living in Egypt, with about 100 killed in attacks across the country since December.

Security sources said the gunmen had tracked the two officers on Tuesday before killing them and fleeing the scene.

The bodies have been transferred to a military hospital in Arish and authorities have begun investigations, medical sources said.