Three Egyptian policemen were killed on Saturday when gunmen fired on their car in northern Sinai's al-Arish, which is near the Gaza Strip.

Two of them died at the scene, while the other succumbed to his wounds in an area hospital.

A police source said the attackers were probably militants who Egyptian forces have been hunting since an ambush in the same region killed 16 border guards on August 5.

The August attack prompted the government to send in hundreds of troops backed by tanks, armoured vehicles and helicopters to raid militant hideouts, arrest suspects and seize weapons.

Egypt's president Mohamed Mursi has vowed to restore order to Sinai's poor and restive northern region.