Updated

Egyptian security officials and witnesses say the decapitated bodies of a father and his two sons recently kidnapped by Islamic militants have been found on the street in the northern Sinai town of Rafah.

The mother of the two siblings was killed last week by Islamic State group militants when they raided the family home in the village of Yamit and kidnapped the three men.

The three decapitated bodies found Saturday were taken to hospital, where they were identified.

The officials and witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media and feared reprisals, respectively.

IS is spearheading an insurgency in northern Sinai, where there has recently been an uptick in the abduction and killing of suspected informants.