Egyptian troops clashed with gunmen in the Sinai Peninsula early Sunday, leaving three soldiers and six militants dead, as they pressed a drive to flush out armed Islamists, state television reported.

The television gave no details on the location or circumstances of the fighting.

But a security source told AFP that the clashes took place around the North Sinai village of Al-Gura, between troops and militants armed with rocket launchers, grenades and automatic weapons.

The source said a number of people were killed but gave no figure.