Cairo, March 11 -- Egypt's army on Monday said 46 suspected jihadists were killed in clashes in the restive Sinai Peninsula, where troops are fighting the Islamic State group.

The "extremely dangerous" militants were killed in shootouts in north and central Sinai, the army said in a statement read on state television, without specifying when the clashes took place.

About 100 "criminal, wanted elements and suspects" were arrested, and security forces destroyed dozens of hideouts and vehicles used by the suspected jihadists during operations in the Sinai, the statement added.

Three soldiers also died in fighting in "various areas of operations", the army said but did not identify those locations.

The Sinai Peninsula is the epicentre of ...