CAIRO 

At least seven Egyptian troops and dozens of militants were killed as part of an ongoing security operation in the restive Sinai Peninsula and western Egypt, according to the military on Tuesday.

A military statement said an army officer and six soldiers were killed in clashes in northern and central Sinai, without explaining when the troops were killed.

The statement said 59 militants were also killed in an exchange of fire, without specifying the time and location of the clashes.

The military said 142 criminals and outlaws were arrested and 242 explosive devices seized as part of the operation.

Since February of last year, the Egyptian army has been waging extensive operations against Sinai-based militants suspected of carrying out a spate of attacks against security forces.

According to figures released by the military, at least dozens of Egyptian soldiers and hundreds of militants have been killed since the operation began.

The Sinai Peninsula has remained the epicenter of a militant insurgency since mid-2013 when Mohamed Morsi -- Egypt’s first freely elected president -- was ousted in a military coup.