Masked men shot dead two Egyptian soldiers in a North Sinai city Thursday, according to a security source quoted by German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
The assailants fired a hail of gunfire at the soldiers at a checkpoint in Sheikh Zuwayed, killing the victims immediately, the source added.
The two bodies were transferred to Al-Arish Hospital, while the police force intensified their presence on the main roads to Sheikh Zuweid.
Privately-owned Al-Shorouk newspaper reported that local residents protested to demand the assailants' arrest and an increased security presence. Protesters later blocked the road connecting Arish to Rafah.
Egyptians in different governorates have complained about the lack of security since the start of the 25 January uprising.
The Dostor news website speculated that the attackers may be members of Jihadist groups that have spread in the Sinai area.
Last month, a soldier was killed and four others were injured after unidentified gunmen fired at their vehicle near the central Sinai village of Hasna.
