Egyptian army announces state of emergency in Suez, South Sinai

The report quoted the commander of the Third Field Army Osama Asakar saying that the "state of readiness" had been raised to its highest level in the two provinces due to the attack.

The attack, the latest of a string of security incidents in the lawless region, came two days after the overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi. It was not clear if the attacks were coordinated and in reaction to his removal.

Egypt indefinitely closes Rafah crossing with Gaza Strip

Egypt has indefinitely closed the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip following attacks on security forces in northern Sinai, a security official said Friday.

The crossing was opened in 2011 following the ouster of Egyptian president Hosny Mubarak, whose administration opposed the Hamas rulers in Gaza, and helped Israel to enforce a blockade on the enclave.

Egypt’s new constitutional declaration dissolves upper house – Al Ahram

Egypt’s interim President Adly Mansour is expected to issue later this Friday a new constitutional declaration that will play the role of Egypt’s constitution for the transition period, according to the website of the Egyptian daily Al Ahram.

The declaration will comprise 12 points, of which the main are the setting up of a new Cabinet of technocrats with sweeping powers, the disbandment of the Egyptian Parliament’s upper house, and setting up a commission on constitutional amendments.

The commission is expected to draft a new constitution within three months after getting down to work. This is due to be followed by a nationwide referendum, the adoption of the constitution, and by parliamentary and then by presidential elections.

Army clashes with Morsi's supporters in Cairo's suburb; military checkpoints attacked at Sinai

Clashes between the Egyptian army's detachments and supporters of the ousted President Mohammed Morsi took place in Cairo's southwestern suburb of Giza on Friday, the Al Arabiya TV channel reports.

The Egyptian military have also sent 25 armored vehicles to the city of Zakazik in the Sharqiya province.

Besides, 3 military checkpoints have been attacked by unidentified people at the Sinai Peninsula near the border with the Gaza Strip. The attackers opened fire from grenade launchers.

According to preliminary data, 1 serviceman was killed and 3 wounded.

Egyptian soldier killed in Islamist militant attack in Sinai

An Egyptian soldier was killed early Friday in coordinated rocket and machinegun attacks by Islamist militants on army checkpoints and a police base in the restive Sinai, medics said.

The soldier was killed when the militants fired on an army checkpoint near the north Sinai village of al-Gura, medics said, adding two other soldiers were wounded in the attack.

Following president Mohamed Morsi's ouster by the military on Thursday, several militants have publicly threatened violence in retaliation

Militants attacked a police base with rockets and attacked military intelligence headquarters in the border town of Rafa, security sources said.

A security source said militants were attacking army and police checkpoints in several towns in north Sinai.

Hardcore Islamist militants have used the sparsely populated north of the peninsula as a launching pad for attacks on security forces and neighbouring Israel.

Morsi, elected in June 2012 and deposed on Wednesday after mass protests, had himself ordered a crackdown on Sinai militants after an August 2012 attack killed 16 soldiers.

No group claimed credit for that attack. But Sinai based militants have taken responsibility for rocket attacks and cross border attacks against Israel.

Egyptian militants attack police, military in Sinai

Egyptian Islamist militants on Thursday fired rockets and directed heavy machine gun fire at a police base in the restive Sinai peninsula, security officials and witnesses said.

Militants also attacked a military intelligence building in the border town of Rafah, witnesses said.

Egypt army says protest protected, urges restraint

The Egyptian armed forces said on Thursday they would not take arbitrary measures against any political group and would guarantee the right to protest, as long as demonstrations did not threaten national security.

In a statement on Facebook ahead of protests on Friday called by the Muslim Brotherhood of deposed President Mohamed Morsi, the army command said: "Wisdom, true nationalism and constructive human values that all religions have called for, require us now to avoid taking any exceptional or arbitrary measures against any faction or political current.

"Peaceful protest and freedom of expression are rights guaranteed to everyone, which Egyptians have earned as one of the most important gains of their glorious revolution," it said.

"Excessive use of this right without reason could carry some negative implications, including blocking roads, delaying public benefits and destroying institutions, posing a threat to social peace, the national interest and damaging the security and economy in our precious Egypt."