CAIRO, Jan 5 (Aswat Masriya) - Unidentified assailants shot dead a police officer in the Upper Egypt province of Beni Suef as he was getting on his motorcycle, the ministry of interior announced on Tuesday.

The ministry's media spokesperson said in a statement that the a citizen was also injured in the incident as he was crossing the site of the shooting to get to his car. The man received a gunshot wound to his shoulder.

The media official noted that the deceased officer and the injured man were both taken to the hospital while police officials made their ways to crime scene to arrest the suspects.

The statement did not mention details as to the possible cause of the incident.

Aswat Masriya could not independently verify the incident nor its details.

In July, 2015 another police officer was also shot dead by unidentified assailants also in Beni Suef.

The slain officer worked at the Beni Suef Security Directorate's criminal investigation department, the ministry said in a statement mourning his death.

Bombings and shootings targeting security personnel have surged since the military's ouster of former president Mohamed Mursi following mass protests against his rule.