24名埃及警察遇害律师称穆巴拉克可能获释

Militants have targeted and killed at least 24 policemen in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, which has seen an increase in violence since the Egyptian military ousted Islamist Mohamed Morsi from the presidency last month.

The attackers ambushed buses carrying the policemen early Monday near the city of Rafah, along the border with the Gaza Strip.

Also Monday, a lawyer for former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said his client will soon be released.

Fareed el-Deeb said an Egyptian court had cleared Mr. Mubarak of corruption charges, stemming from allegations he and his sons embezzled money for presidential palaces.

The claims could not be immediately confirmed by judicial officials. But the French news agency (AFP), quoting judicial sources, reported that Mr. Mubarak will remain in custody on charges in an additional case.                  

The 85-year-old Mubarak still faces a retrial on charges he failed to stop the killing of protesters during the popular revolt that swept him from power in 2011.

Word of the killing of the police officers and the possible release of Mr. Mubarak come one day after the interior ministry reported 36 members of the pro-Morsi Muslim Brotherhood were suffocated by tear gas during an attempted prison break in northern Cairo.