At least three policemen and a civilian have been killed in two separate attacks in Egypt’s restive Sinai Peninsula as insecurity continues in the area.

According to a security official, masked attackers killed the policemen who had been guarding a police station in the North Sinai town of el-Arish on Monday.

The assailants managed to flee the scene, the unnamed official added.

In another incident, unknown gunmen opened fire near a checkpoint in the Sheikh Zuweid area, gunning down a civilian.

The Sinai has long been considered a safe haven for militants who use the region as a base for terrorist activities. In recent months, the remote desert region has been the scene of growing violence and militant attacks.

On September 27, Egyptian Lieutenant Mostafa Yehia Gawish was killed after the assailants opened fire on him while he was coming out of a hotel in el-Arish.

On the same day, an Egyptian soldier was wounded when a roadside bomb, planted by militants, detonated near two armored military vehicles in the peninsula.

On September 16, at least nine police cadets were injured in a bomb blast in Sinai.

Security sources said the remote-controlled bomb exploded on the outskirts of el-Arish near a bus full of police conscripts.

Since the ouster of former Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, on July 3, militant groups have launched almost daily attacks in Sinai, killing members of the security forces. In response, Cairo has launched offensives against the militants, sending thousands of troops backed by tanks and heavy equipment into the region.