Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has inaugurated the first arms fair organised in Cairo, AFP news agency says state TV footage showed.

The three-day show will be attended by officials from 40 countries, and over 400 companies according to Egyptian authorities.

Defence Minister Mohamed Ahmed Zaki said at the opening ceremony that the army would roll back all forms of aggression on Egyptian soil.

International human rights organisations have long accused Egypt of using weapons originated in Europe against civilians to suppress opposition and activists, accusations that Cairo denies.