More troops arrive in Egypt's Sinai over hostages

Egyptian security officials say they have deployed additional military and police, along with helicopters and rocket launchers, to the northern Sinai Peninsula as part of a buildup in response to the kidnapping of security forces there.

Suspected militants abducted six policemen and a border guard last week and demanded the release of scores of prisoners from the region, including convicted colleagues. On Tuesday, a joint military and police force combed a deserted village in North Sinai governorate along with helicopter support.

A security official said the search of the suspected militant hideout yielded no arrests, and a few shots were fired to disperse a watching crowd. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.