Two Egyptian army colonels were killed on Wednesday in a shootout with militants.

Two Egyptian army colonels were killed on Wednesday in a shootout with militants, security sources said.

The exchange of gunfire erupted after the army officers tried to storm a militant safehouse where the men were hiding in Qalubiya province north of Cairo, the sources said.

Security sources said earlier the two officers were colonels but the army spokesman's Facebook page gave a different version of ranks.

The two officers were bomb disposal experts, the security sources said.

"Many barrels laden with explosive materials were also detonated" during the confrontation, the source added.