Cairo: Egyptian authorities have stepped up swoops on suspected militants ahead of street protests against price hikes allegedly planned for Friday.

The Interior Ministry, which is responsible for domestic security in Egypt, said police had raided five sites for manufacturing explosives to be used in attacks against vital installations in the country.

Two “dens” were seized in the Cairo area of Ain Shams whereas the three others were found in the provinces of Sharqia, Fayyoum and Aswan, the ministry said in a statement.

“These pre-emptive security strikes have contributed to aborting movements of groups that planned to carry out a series of terrorist operations to destabilise the country,” the statement said.

The ministry added that the suspects had links to the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Authorities did not say how many suspects were arrested in the crackdown.

In recent weeks, several Islamists have been arrested for inciting anti-government protests.

A little-known group calling itself ‘The Ghalaba [Marginalised] Movement’, has called for street protests on November 11 against price hikes. It did not explain why it had designated November 11 for staging the protests.

Pro-government media and politicians have said that the group is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood that has been the target of a tough security clampdown since mid-2013 when the army deposed president Mohammad Mursi, a senior official in the Islamist organisation, following massive demonstrations against his rule.

The Brotherhood has repeatedly called for street protests against the government of President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi, but without setting a specific date.

The Interior Ministry has vowed zero-tolerance against “any attempt to break the law”.

In recent months, Egypt has been gripped by economic woes and shortages of basic goods.

Last week, the government announced free flotation of the local pound and cut state subsidies, moves it said were necessary to heal the ailing economy.

No street protests have since been seen in Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country of around 91 million.