Egyptian militant group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis has dismissed reports that its leader has been killed in the restive Sinai Peninsula.

In a Sunday statement published on militant Internet forums, the al-Qaeda-linked group also stated that Shadi al-Menei, who was said to be shot dead by security forces in the desert region, is not its leader.

The statement was accompanied by a picture of Menei reading a report about his “death” on a laptop. However, the photo could not be immediately authenticated.

The development came after several senior security officials on Friday confirmed the death of Menei along with three other members of the group.

Officials said security forces opened fire on the four men as they were in a car in central Sinai to carry out an attack on a gas pipeline. However, other security officials noted that unidentified assailants fatally shot Menei and five other members of the group.

The group noted that the authorities have not even identified its leader, who the militants said “is safe.”

The al-Qaeda-affiliated group has previously announced the deaths of its members and senior commanders, sometimes even before the authorities did.

Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, has claimed responsibility for most of the deadliest attacks in Egypt since the ouster of Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected president.

The Sinai Peninsula has long been considered a safe haven for militants and criminal gangs 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 Egyptian security forces.