Rafah, Egypt - Egypt uncovered three tunnels near the Rafah crossing on its border with the Gaza Strip Saturday and seized weapons and explosives in the strategic Sinai peninsula, according to security sources.

Police uncovered two tunnels in Barahma north of the Rafah border crossing and a third tunnel south of the crossing, the sources said.

Quantities of fuel were found in the tunnels, the sources added without giving further details.

Police also found TNT explosives in Hilwa near the town of Arish in northern Sinai, and nine automatic rifles and ammunition in Muqdaba, in the centre of the peninsula.

The Sinai desert in north-eastern Egypt is strategically important because it borders Israel and the Gaza Strip and has been the scene of several wars between the two countries.

Now it is a demilitarized zone in accordance with the peace treaty between the two countries.

Israel has been pressing Egypt to stem weapons smuggling into the Gaza Strip via Sinai. Egyptian authorities regularly uncover weapons caches and tunnels there. (dpa)