An Egyptian military officer was shot dead early on Friday in the Qaliubiya governorate north of Cairo, a security source told Al-Ahram's Arabic news website. Unknown assailants attacked the officer, a brigadier, during a security patrol in the Abu-Zaabal area of Qaliubiya. The source didn't provide information whether the culprits were apprehended or fled. The attack was carried out despite heightened security across Egypt in anticipation of a call for mass Islamist protests on Friday. Hundreds of army and police personnel were killed in militant attacks since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/116653.aspx