EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma'an) -- Gunmen opened fire at a military checkpoint in the Sinai peninsula on Sunday, Egyptian military sources said.

Unknown gunmen driving in two cars opened fire at a checkpoint located on the Cairo-Suez road, before clashing with police forces and fleeing the scene.

Earlier Sunday, Jihadist groups fired a long range missile during a military drill in central Sinai.

The missile, believed to have a range of 45 kilometers, was fired from Nekhel in central Sinai towards the direction of Suez, Egyptian military sources told Ma'an.

On Saturday, Egypt's Interior Ministry told police in the Sinai peninsula to raise a state of emergency after obtaining intelligence that jihadists might attack their forces there.

Officials have expressed growing worries about security in the desert region which borders Israel and is home to a number of tourist resorts.