Policeman killed, 4 wounded in shootout in Egypt's Sinai

CAIRO - At least one policeman was killed and four other were wounded on Tuesday in an attack on a security checkpoint near Egypt's Saint Catherine's Monastery in South Sinai, state television reported.

Unknown militants attacked the fixed security checkpoint, but the monks and priests inside the Monastery were not harmed, state-run Ahram newspaper reported on its website.

The wounded have been transferred to Sharm El-Sheikh International Hospital.

The attack came several days after two bombings on churches claimed by Islamic State (IS) group that killed 47 people.

Egypt has been suffering anti-security attacks mainly in North Sinai, where IS takes a base of its attacks. Hundreds of security men have been killed in the attacks.

Attacks in South Sinai, however, have been rare in recent years.