Egyptian troops die in Sinai attack

 Egypt's military launched an offensive against militants in Sinai in September
At least 10 Egyptian soldiers are reported killed and several more wounded in a car bomb attack near the North Sinai city of el-Arish.

Al-Masri al-Youm newspaper said a convoy of buses carrying infantry soldiers was hit by a roadside bomb as it moved through the Kharouba area.

The death toll was likely to rise, a security source said.

Attacks on security forces in the Sinai have increased since Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was ousted in July.

The peninsula has grown increasingly unstable since the overthrow of former President Hosni Mubarak nearly three years ago.

In September security forces launched an offensive against Islamist militants there, but have suffered a spate of deadly bombings.

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Wednesday's attack, which took place at around 07:45 local time (05:45 GMT) on the road from Rafah to el-Arish, is thought to be the bloodiest against the military since Mr Morsi was deposed.

Twenty-six soldiers were wounded in the explosion, al-Ahram website reported.

The attack is reported to have targeted Egypt's Second Field Army, which has been deployed in Sinai and has been involved in an operation to destroy tunnels along Egypt's border with Gaza.

The soldiers were on their way back to Cairo on leave, reports said. Some of the most seriously wounded victims were being airlifted to hospital in the capital.