Gunmen kill 2 policemen south of Cairo

Gunmen shot dead two policemen south of the Egyptian capital late on Thursday, in a third straight day of fatal attacks on police, security officials said. Attacks on security forces personnel have surged since the army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July and the military-installed authorities launched a deadly crackdown on supporters of the deposed leader. The unknown assailants opened fire on the two policemen in the town of Badrashin, 30 kilometres (18 miles) south of Cairo in Giza province, the officials said. The latest deaths bring to 24 the number of policemen killed in militant attacks since January 23, according to an AFP tally based on reports by security officials. On Wednesday evening, a policeman guarding a church in a northern Cairo neighbourhood was killed in clashes with Morsi supporters, security officials said earlier. Since Morsi's ouster, his supporters have been staging near-daily protests calling for his reinstatement. Their rallies have often sparked street clashes with security forces and civilian opponents. Five policemen were also shot dead on Tuesday in separate attacks. An Al-Qaeda inspired group, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis or Partisans of Jerusalem, has claimed most of the deadliest attacks in Egypt since Morsi's ouster, saying they were to avenge the crackdown by security forces. More than 1,4000 people have been killed in the crackdown, according to Amnesty International, and thousands jailed. Source: AFP