Egyptian army soldiers stand guard on the border with Egypt in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Friday, July 5, 2013.

Militants kidnapped three pro-government tribal fighters manning a checkpoint in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on Thursday, officials said, in an attack claimed by the militants.

Two fighters from a tribal militia at the checkpoint were also wounded in the attack in the North Sinai town of Sheikh Zuweid, security officials and medics said.

The “Sinai Province”, Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group, claimed the attack on a Twitter account, saying a number of tribal fighters were killed. Its claim could not be independently verified.

In a separate attack late Wednesday, a civilian was killed and six policemen were wounded as a roadside bomb struck a passing armored police vehicle in El-Arish, provincial capital of North Sinai.

The area is a stronghold of jihadists, who have carried out regular attacks on security forces since the military’s July 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Mursi.

Militants say their attacks are in retaliation for a bloody crackdown on supporters of Mursi following his overthrow.

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