NORTH SINAI, May 14 (Aswat Masriya) - Three people were gunned down by armed assailants in North Sinai in two separate incidents on Thursday, leaving two killed and a third person injured, medical and security sources said.

Police sources told Aswat Masriya that one civilian was separately shot dead south of al-Arish.

The body of the deceased was taken to the Arish General Hospital, a medical source said.

A security source added that unidentified gunmen shot at two passengers in central Sinai. One received a gunshot wound to the head, which ended his life, while the other was shot in his left leg, the source said.

Militancy inside Egypt has seen a significant rise since July 2013, with the military ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, following mass protests against his rule. Most attacks occur in North Sinai and target security forces.

Four security personnel were killed in an explosion near Rafah city in North Sinai on Wednesday. Four civilians inside a car were also killed in a blast in North Sinai earlier on the same day.

Earlier this week, the armed forces announced that security operations have left a total of 725 suspected militants killed between late October and late April.