Egypt: NGO warns of alarming rise in extrajudicial killings

The Nadeem Centre said it had documented the cases based on print, online and social media reports. It said there were 326 such killings in all of 2015.

In a statement attached to its report, it called for "justice" for what it described as "crimes" of the state.

Aida Seif al-Dawla, a psychiatrist and one of the centre's co-founders, said that "most of the killings were from shootings or airstrikes" that took place in the troubled Sinai Peninsula, where security forces have been battling a powerful local affiliate of the Islamic State group [IS].

Authorities have ordered the closure of the Nadeem Centre over its human rights advocacy but it is still operating as it contests the order in court, with a hearing scheduled for July 10.

Egypt denies accusations by local and international human rights groups that torture is widespread in its detention facilities, saying there are only isolated incidents and that perpetrators are disciplined.

	President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has overseen a broad crackdown on dissent since 2013 [TNA]

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has overseen a broad crackdown on dissent since 2013, when he led the military overthrow of his Islamist predecessor Mohammad Morsi.

Security forces have arrested thousands of Islamists and killed hundreds while dispersing protests.

The campaign has also increasingly targeted secular activists who criticise the former general's rule.

Authorities argue that they are acting to bring stability after five years of turmoil following the 2011 pro-democracy uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

Agencies contributed to this report