Two killed, 15 injured in Sinai violence

Two civilians were killed in northern Sinai after a mine exploded in a field Saturday, while three security officers and 12 conscripts were injured in separate incidents in the restive Egyptian peninsula.

A landmine that was placed in a field in the village of Husainat, west of the border city of Rafah, killed two civilians, an Egyptian security source said.

Meanwhile, a Lieutenant Colonel and nine soldiers were wounded in clashes between the army and unknown militants in the village of Kharouba, near the city of Sheikh Zweid.

In a separate incident, two police officers and three conscripts were wounded Saturday when a roadside bomb hit their armoured vehicle in the city of El-Arish.

Sinai has become increasingly volatile following the overthrow of dictator Hosni Mubarak in 2011, and the military coup against President Mohamad Morsi in 2013.

Since then, the Egyptian military have battled the militants in the north of the country who appear to be growing in strength.

Most of the Sinai attacks are claimed by the Islamic State group's Egyptian branch, "Sinai Province".

IS also said it carried out the bombing in October of a Russian airliner over Sinai, killing all 224 people on board.