CAIRO, May 9 (Aswat Masriya) - A gunfire exchange left a security watchman and three Muslim Brotherhood members dead on Saturday in Egypt's northern governorate of Damietta, a local security official said. 

Security forces were carrying out an operation to arrest several members of the Brotherhood when they were fired at, Hassan al-Bardisi, the security director of Damietta told Aswat Masriya. 

The watchman was killed and police responded by firing back, leaving three defendants dead, he added. 

Last week, clashes between Brotherhood supporters and security forces left one security conscript dead in a village in Damietta. 

Brotherhood members have organised and participated in dozens of protests since July 2013, when Muslim Brotherhood politician and former president Mohamed Mursi was removed from power. 

The period following Mursi's ouster has also witnessed a surge in militancy across Egypt, with security forces being the target of most attacks. The vast majority of attacks have taken place in North Sinai but other parts of the country have also been affected. 

Egypt listed the Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation in December 2013 and insists it is behind the stringent wave of militancy which has targeted security personnel. The Brotherhood continuously denies this.