Terrorist jihadist
Terrorist jihadistThinkstock

Seven jihadists were killed in a shootout in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula during a joint operation by police and the army, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim said Sunday, according to AFP.

The seven men were among "the most dangerous elements of Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis" and had taken part in a July attack on a border post with Libya that killed 22 soldiers, he was quoted as having told a news conference.

The minister did not give a date for the operation.

Based in the northern Sinai, the Al-Qaeda-inspired Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis has spearheaded attacks that have killed scores of policemen and soldiers since the army overthrew Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in July 2013.

It says the attacks are to avenge the killing of pro-Morsi protesters by the army and police, a crackdown which has left at least 1,400 dead.

The group has also claimed responsibility for several rocket attacks that targeted the Israeli resort city of Eilat.

Egypt's military-backed interim government has blamed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group for the violence, outlawing it and calling it a terrorist organization. The Brotherhood denies being involved in the violence.