CAIRO: A suicide car bomber killed a civilian and wounded 25 Egyptian policemen when he tried to ram his car into a police barracks in the city of Al-Arish on Tuesday, security sources said.

The violence comes days ahead of an investment conference in the resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, 340 km south of Al-Arish, that Egypt hopes will project an image of stability and attract billions of dollars.

Police were able to stop the suicide bomber from entering the barracks. Security and medical sources said a civilian was in the area by coincidence when the bomber struck.