The Ministry of Interior identified on Saturday two people it said police forces “eliminated” in a gunfire exchange in 6th of October City as members of the militant group known as “Hasm Movement”.

In an official statement, the ministry accused a 28-year-old and a 22-year-old of being “Muslim Brotherhood terrorists, planning terrorist attacks” and that they were leading members of the militant group that is being tasked with conducting attacks “by their leaders outside the country.”

The ministry said that the two alleged suspects opened fire on police forces that approached their motorcycle.

For its part, “Hasm” refuted claims that the persons killed were members of its group. The group had claimed a Friday assassination of a National Security officer in the governorate of Qaliubiya.

The officer’s shooting had coincided with a major attack on the military in North Sinai’s city of Rafah, followed by an attack on a police vehicle in Al-Arish on Saturday.