UPDATE - 15 Egyptian troops killed, injured in Sinai attack

UPDATE WITH HAMAS CONDEMNATION

CAIRO (AA) – At least 15 Egyptian troops were killed and injured in a militant attack in Egypt’s restive Sinai Peninsula, according to the military on Saturday.

In a statement, military spokesman Col. Tamer Rifai said militants attacked a security checkpoint in the northern Sinai Peninsula.

Seven militants were killed in an exchange of fire with Egyptian forces, during which 15 troops were killed and injured, the spokesman said, without giving further details.

For its part, Palestinian group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, strongly denounced the attack.

In a statement, Hamas termed the attack as a “criminal act that targets Egypt’s security and stability”.

"These horrific acts aim to drag the region into a cycle of violence and terrorism," the statement said.

Since February of last year, the Egyptian army has been waging extensive operations against Sinai-based militants suspected of carrying out a spate of attacks against security forces.

According to figures released by the military, at least dozens of Egyptian soldiers and hundreds of militants have been killed since the operation began.

The Sinai Peninsula has remained the epicenter of a militant insurgency since mid-2013 when Mohamed Morsi -- Egypt’s first freely elected president -- was ousted in a military coup.