Nine suspected terrorists killed in shootout in Egypt

Nine suspected terrorists have been killed in a shootout in Egypt's third largest city Giza, home to the legendary Great Pyramids and the Sphinx.

The police cordoned off several streets in the area and launched the counter-terrorism operation on Sunday. The security forces broke into an apartment in one of the neighborhood's residence building, where the suspects were hiding.

Five police officers were injured in the shootout that took place in the neighbourhood of Agouza, Giza governorate, during a raid on two suspected terrorist hideouts, Sputnik reported.

One of the suspects reportedly attempted to detonate a suicide belt but was killed by the police. Police found huge amount of weapons and ammunition from the two terror hideouts.

A high-ranking source in the Egyptian Internal Ministry said that police killed nine terrorists in the operation, while five police officers were wounded, the local media reported.

Egypt has been fighting a jihadist insurgency and series of terror attacks took place mainly targeting security forces since the army overthrew then-President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.