CAIRO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court upheld on Sunday death sentences against five defendants charged with terrorism.

Egypt's Court of Cassation endorsed the final death sentences against the five defendants who were accused of terrorism in a case known as the "Giza terrorist cell," official MENA news agency reported.

The same court said that death sentences for six others will be commuted to life imprisonment and sentences against 15 others will be upheld.

In October 2017, the Giza Criminal court sentenced 11 defendants to death, 14 to life imprisonment and one to 10-year term over committing murder, armed protests, and making explosive charges.

Terrorism rose in Egypt following the military ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Terror attacks gradually expanded from North Sinai province bordering Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip to other provinces, including the capital Cairo, and started to target the Coptic minority via church bombings and shootings.