EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) — Egyptian medical officials say fighting between army troops and extremist militants in the restive northeastern part of the Sinai Peninsula has killed four children and wounded eight other minors.

The Rafah hospital said in a statement Thursday that the children were killed and wounded during clashes using heavy weapons, with some buried under rubble when buildings were hit and collapsed.

The fighting took place close to the border with the Palestinian Gaza Strip.

Egypt has been hit with a wave of suicide bombings and militant attacks that intensified after the military's ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

The local Islamic State affiliate has claimed responsibility for most of the attacks.