World Bulletin / News Desk

Two Egyptian soldiers were killed as part of an ongoing security operation in the restive Sinai Peninsula, according to the military on Sunday.

A military statement said six militants were killed when security forces carried out two security swoops in northern Sinai and north-eastern Egypt.

As a result of combat operations, “two troops were killed and two others injured”, the statement said.

According to the statement, a total of 513 suspected militants were detained by security forces.

Sunday’s fatalities bring to 24 soldiers killed since the security operation against militants blamed for a string of attacks across the country began on Feb. 9.

Around 3,700 people have also been detained.

The Sinai Peninsula has remained the epicenter of a militant insurgency since 2013, when the army ousted Mohamed Morsi -- Egypt's first freely elected president and a Muslim Brotherhood leader -- in a military coup.