Egypt claims that it has located the criminal gang responsible for the death of Cambridge student Giulio Regeni. 

A bag that belonged to the student was found during a police raid of a criminal gang's flat, according to the Interior Ministry. 

The gang have repeatedly abducted foreigners by posing as policemen, the ministry claimed.

Regeni, who was studying for a PhD at Cambridge, was found dead on the outskirts of Cairo earlier this year. There were signs of torture on his body. 

"The security forces on Thursday managed to track down a gang in New Cairo that used to pose as policemen. It specialised in abducting foreigners and robbing them," the ministry said in a statement.

"There was an exchange of fire with the police and all members of the gang were killed."

The student, who was a visiting scholar at the American University in Cairo, was reported to have been researching the sensitive topic of trade unions and labour rights in Egypt. 

Regeni disappeared in Cairo on the evening of January 25th, the fifth anniversary of the start of the uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak, at a time when there was a strong police presence in the city.

Bruises, knife wounds, and cigarette burns were found all over his body, suggesting he had suffered a "slow death".

There was speculation from human rights groups and opposition figures that the Egyptian security forces had been responsible for the student's death. 

The Egyptian government strongly denied this accusation. 

However, the circumstances surrounding Regeni's death have led to pressure on the UK government, with a petition calling for No. 10 to ensure a proper investigation be carried out.

It currently stands at over 8,000 signatures.