President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi:

Egypt will extend the state of emergency in the country by three months following approval granted President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi proposal for extension, the cabinet said on Thursday.

The approval to extend the state of emergency is coming on the heels of ongoing militant campaign against Christian minority in the country.

Parliament unanimously approved the three-month state of emergency in April, broadening the powers of the government to crack down on “enemies of the state’’ after two church bombings that killed at least 45 people.

The state of emergency, which would have expired at the end of June, had been extended by three months till the end of September.

Islamic State sponsored insurgency in the restive Sinai Peninsula in Egypt had led to the killing of hundreds of soldiers and policemen since 2013.

In recent months, the group carried out attacks in the mainland against Coptic Christian civilians killing around 100 Copts since December.

The police killed seven persons in connection with the violence against Christians on Thursday.

Interior Ministry officials said security forces found militants hiding in a desert training camp.

They attempted to arrest the men, who opened fire; the police returned fire and killed seven militants.

The police also discovered weapons, motorcycle and military uniforms in the camp, the ministry said in a statement. (Reuters/NAN)