Egypt army storms village near Cairo

Egyptian troops and police clashed Thursday morning on the outskirts of Cairo after security forces launched an operation to arrest people accused of torching police stations and killing at least 11 police officers during July clashes. The violence is part of ongoing unrest in the country between security forces and supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi, who was removed from office in a military coup on July 3.

Egypt's official news agency MENA said troops backed by helicopters had surrounded the town of Kerdassah, a known Islamist stronghold, after exchanging fire with suspected militants there.

The clashes have so far killed one policeman -- identified by MENA as an aide to the police chief of the city of Giza -- and at least 65 people were arrested. The interior minister said police forces took control of the area and imposed a curfew. 

Al Jazeera's correspondent, reporting from Cairo, said the operation began at about 3 a.m. local time. 

The army said the operation was meant to "clear the village of terrorist elements." 

The state-run Nile News TV said live ammunition was being fired at police and the army from schools and mosques. 

Last month in Kerdassah, armed individuals who were believed to be Morsi supporters killed 15 police officers and mutilated their bodies. The attack appeared to be in retaliation for violent crackdowns by security forces on pro-Morsi protest camps.

At least 1,000 people have died in the recent violence, with most deaths coming during the security forces' dispersal of two pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo on Aug. 14. About 100 police officers also died in the clashes. 

Nearly 2,000 Islamist activists and politicians have been arrested since Morsi's ouster. 

The latest raid is part of an effort to retake areas that have been off-limits to police for several weeks. 

Also Thursday, Egyptian authorities grounded several metro lines in Cairo after two explosive devices were found at a station. The devices were defused.

On Monday, security forces stormed the town of Delga in Minya province, about 186 miles south of Cairo, and arrested 56 residents. 

Delga has been under Islamist control since clashes broke out between Morsi's supporters and security forces across the country.

Al Jazeera and wire services