Egypt: 55 police personnel killed after shootout on military hideout in Cairo
Security officials in Egypt say at least 55 policemen killed in a shootout during a raid on militant hideout near Cairo.
Egyptian security officials say at least 55 policemen, including 20 officers and 34 conscripts, have been killed in a shootout during a raid on a militant hideout near Cairo.
The officials said on Saturday that the exchange of fire took place late Friday in the al-Wahat al-Bahriya area in Giza governorate, about 135 km from the capital after security services moved in.
The officials say the death toll could increase and according to media report, the police also deployed aircraft to confront the militants.
They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
Egypt's Interior Ministry issued a statement on the raid late Friday but didn't provide a death toll.
Egypt has been under a state of emergency since bombings and suicide attacks which targeted minority Coptic Christians killed scores earlier this year.
Those attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group.
(With inputs from AP and more details awaited)