Egypt announces emergency in South Sinai, Suez

CAIRO - Egypt's military announced Friday state of emergency in South Sinai and Suez provinces after an earlier attack on Arish airport, state-run al-Ahram online reported.

Ahram quoted the commander of the third field army Osama Askar as saying that the "state of readiness" has been raised in highest level in both provinces.

"The Navy forces and the Air Forces have coordinated to secure the entrances and exits of the city, and checkpoints have been deployed on the international and local border axes, specially in South Sinai," added Askar.

Early Friday, hundreds of gunmen of Islamist extremist groups attacked Arish Airport, a security camp in Rafah, a police station and two security checkpoints in Sheikh Zewaid in North Sinai with heavy artillery and rocket-propelled grenades, which killed a soldier and injured three others.

The attack came after the Egyptian army ousted Islamist- oriented President Mohamed Morsi on Wednesday in response to millions of protesters across the country demanding his removal. ?

Islamist supporters described it as a "military coup" and vowed to struggle for Morsi's legitimacy.

Armed attacks on police and military premises and checkpoints prevailed in Sinai Peninsula due to lack of security following the mass protests that ousted ex-president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.