Soldiers in Egypt kill militant group member

CAIRO (AP) — Security officials in Egypt say soldiers have ambushed and killed a prominent militant in an al-Qaida inspired group as part of the government's ongoing campaign against terror groups in the Sinai Peninsula.

Col. Ahmed Ali, a military spokesman, announced the militant's death in a Facebook post Friday. Ali described the militant Nour Hamdeen as a leader of Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which is the group that's claimed most recent terror attacks in Egypt. The group, which is active on the Internet, did not immediately comment publicly on the death.

The U.S. designated Ansar Beit al-Maqdis a foreign terrorist organization Wednesday.

Meanwhile Friday, Egypt's state news agency MENA reported that police killed two gunmen who tried to set fire to a police station in the Nile Delta.