Egypt: Islamists kill more than 50 policemen

In the Egyptian desert, policemen wanted to find a hiding place for extremists, and they were ambushed. In the process, more officials died than previously known.

Egypt: Islamists kill more than 50 policemen

The number of policemen killed in Egypt in a battle with suspected Islamists is higher than previously assumed. Several news agencies each report, citing Egyptian security circles, in accordance with at least 50 killed security forces. Previously, 35 dead police officers had been reported. The Mufti of Egypt, Schauki Allam, condemned deed.

The Ministry of Interior in Cairo initially reported only 16 killed security forces. Thirteen police officers were injured and 15 terrorists were killed or injured. The shootout occurred on Friday in desert in west of Egypt, when policemen wanted to storm a hideout of extremists. They would have used heavy weapons.

According to local media, fire fighting in Baharia Oasis was about 300 kilometers southwest of capital city of Cairo. According to security circles, authorities had suspected that hiding place of Islamist Hasm movement belongs. The police convoy was in a Hinterhaltgeraten and attacked. In battle, six or people died next to police.

On Internet, an opinion of Hasm movement was circulating, in which it committed itself to attack. The extremists shared that y had 56 policemen ambushed and killed. The aunticity of declaration could not be verified.

In past, Hasm movement had repeatedly known attacks in Egypt. The Egyptian government designates it as armed arm of Islamist Muslim Brorhood, which is classified as a terrorist organization in Egypt.

If number of deaths is true, it is one of most serious losses of Egyptian security forces, since extremists have begun to attack government forces after overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi 2013. The Egyptian authorities have been fighting for some time against Islamist extremists who are close to terrorist militia "Islamic State" and are active, above all, on Sinai.

The federal affairs condemned "sneaky attack" on security forces "in all its sharpness." Germany is standing in fight against terror on side of Egypt, said a spokesman in Berlin.

Date Of Update: 22 October 2017, 12:02
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