A little known Egyptian group has claimed responsibility for the killing of a senior Egyptian army officer outside his suburban Cairo home.

The claim came in a statement by the “Banner of the Revolution” posted late Saturday on social media accounts known to be sympathetic to militant groups. The claim’s authenticity could not be immediately verified.

Brig-Gen. Adel Ragai was the commander of the army 9th armored division headquartered in the sprawling military base of Dahshour west of Cairo. He had recently served in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, where security forces have been fighting Islamic militants for years.

The statement said Ragai’s driver and security guard were injured in the Saturday attack, which Egyptian media reported had been carried out by three masked gunmen.

The statement claimed the attack was in part in revenge for the killing earlier this month by security forces of Mohammed Kamal, a senior official of the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood.

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Image courtesy of Reuters