CAIRO, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Gunmen in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Wednesday killed a politician who was a member of parliament during the era of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, security sources said.

Attackers in a car fired four bullets at Abdel Hamid Silmi as he left a mosque, the sources said, adding that he was a member of Mubarak's National Democratic Party.

Militants, mostly based in North Sinai, have escalated attacks on security forces and other targets since July 3, when the army deposed President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood and installed a new government.

The militants have struck on an almost daily basis and killed around 40 people, according to medical officials. Many of those killed were members of the security forces. (Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)