CAIRO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court sentenced on Thursday 13 defendants to death over their convictions of murder and jailbreak, official MENA news agency reported.

Ismailia Criminal Court ordered execution of the 13 defendants, including six in custody and seven fugitives, for killing a police officer and a civilian during a jailbreak attempt in 2016 in Egypt's Suez Canal city of Ismailia.

Four of the defendants belong to Sinai-based Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis militant group, which changed its name to Wilayat Sinai (Sinai state or province) and declared loyalty to the Islamic State (IS) regional terrorist group.

Terrorism has prevailed in Egypt since the military ousted former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in early July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

The IS claimed responsibility for most of the terrorist attacks in Egypt over the past few years.?