Six suspects were arrested in raids in Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuwaid, security sources in North Sinai said on Monday.

Several terrorist hotbeds, used by terror groups to attack police and army forces, were destroyed in the raids.

Violence rose markedly in North Sinai following the ouster of Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

North Sinai has been under a state of emergency and a curfew since October, when an attack on a checkpoint in Arish left several soldiers dead and injured.

Police and army patrols have been increased and additional checkpoints have been set up.

In addition, a buffer zone along the border with Gaza has been created by demolishing houses and destroying underground tunnels which have been used to smuggle weapons.