The newly-appointed Interior Minister Magdy Mohamed Abdel Hamid Abdel Ghaffar (L) stands at attention as he is sworn in by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) in Cairo.

CAIRO —  Egypt replaced its interior minister on Thursday with a retired general who has experience combating religious extremism as part of the country’s fight against militants seeking to topple the Cairo government.

Egypt has been grappling with rising Islamist militancy since then-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted freely elected President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013 after mass protests against his rule.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen have been killed in deadly attacks claimed by the Sinai-based Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis group, which changed its name to Sinai Province after pledging allegiance to “Islamic State.”

The presidency said in a statement that Mohamed Ibrahim, who was appointed by Morsi, was replaced by Magdi Abdel Ghaffar. Ibrahim was made an advisor to the prime minister with the rank of deputy prime minister.

The change was part of a cabinet reshuffle concerning eight portfolios in all, including the agriculture, tourism, and telecommunications ministries.

Ibrahim’s tenure saw an increase in attacks against police around the country. On Monday, a series of bombs hit the capital, killing two people outside a courthouse. Two of the attacks were near police stations.