EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma'an) -- A tribal leader in the northern Sinai was seriously injured in a shooting attack on Saturday, security officials said.

Sheikh Nayef Al-Sawarkah was shot in the head outside a hair salon in central El-Arish city, Egyptian security service director Saleh Al-Masri said.

Masked men riding a motorcycle fled the scene after shooting the leader of the Al-Sawarkah tribe, security officials told Ma'an.

Al-Sawarkeh is being treated for serious injuries in Al-Arish general hospital, they added.

Egyptian security are battling for control of the peninsula since the overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak last year loosened the grip of state security in the isolated Sinai.

Military officials have also warned that Jihadi groups want to oust state forces and have launched a number of deadly attacks on security officers.