NORTH SINAI, Oct 24 (Aswat Masriya) - At least 25 members of the Egyptian security forces were killed in a blast in Sinai's Sheikh Zuweid on Friday, a military source told Aswat Masriya. 

"A suicidal assailant drove near an army checkpoint with a car bomb," the military source said, adding that the car exploded on the border with the Palestinian Gaza Strip. 

The explosion also caused damage to two military vehicles. 

The security forces have stepped up their presence at the site of the explosion and closed the Arish International road amid tightening security measures to carry out combing the surrounding areas. 

Militants have stepped up attacks targeting security forces in Egypt, particularly in the Sinai Peninsula, since the army's ouster of President Mohamed Mursi in July 2013, which followed mass protests against his rule. 

A fact-sheet prepared by Egypt's ministry of foreign affairs put the death toll for terrorism acts which took place since January 2011 and until April 2014 at 971, including 664 security personnel.