GUNMEN yesterday shot dead six army officers near Cairo in the second attack on Egyptian security forces in three days which the military has blamed on the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood of deposed president Mohamed Mursi.

Egypt has been hit by an Islamist insurgency since the military overthrew Mursi in July last year. Yesterday's attack on a military police checkpoint was carried out by unidentified gunmen who then fled, according to state media.

Brotherhood leader Amr Darrag denied it was involved.