Gunfire echoes through a town in Egypt's troubled Sinai Peninsula.

The shots came as Islamist militants attacked a security headquarters here in al-Arish.

The daring attack saw insurgents launch rocket-propelled grenades at the building from a nearby rooftop.

It was the latest clash between militants and security forces in Sinai, which has been plagued by a wave of lawlessness.

Militants killed 16 Egyptian soldiers last month, prompting a massive crackdown by the country's military and police.