Egypt: Military says it killed six alleged terrorists near Bahariya

Posted On 5 September 2019

Number of times this article was read : 79

Cairo, Sept 5, 2019 – Six suspected jihadists were killed on Thursday in a shootout with police near the Bahariya oasis southwest of the Egyptian capital, the interior ministry said. Police carried out a dawn raid against “terrorist elements” in a desert area near Bahariya, roughly 300 kilometres (190 miles) southwest of Cairo, the ministry said in a statement. A shootout led to the death of six suspects, the ministry said, adding that a number of hunting rifles and four assault rifles were found at the site.

Jihadists have launched several attacks in the vast desert area west of the Nile. In November 2018, an Islamic State group attack killed six Copts and an Anglican after they left the Saint Samuel monastery west of the Nile in Minya province. IS carried out another attack nearby in May 2017, killing 29 Coptic pilgrims, many of them children. Tourists have also been killed in attacks, but the violence has mostly targeted police and soldiers.

Hundreds of security personnel have died in an escalation of attacks since the military overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. The ouster was led by then-army-chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who became president following 2014 polls before securing an official 97 percent of the vote in elections last year. In February 2018, the army launched a nationwide offensive against
jihadists, focused mainly on North Sinai, where the Islamic State group has a significant presence.

By AFP

The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group
.

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Book: Lafarge Group and the Islamic State

Book: Lafarge Group and the Islamic State

Lafarge’s indictment for financing terrorism reveals corporate entanglements with ISIS to maintain operations in Syria. In Personne morale, Justine Augier exposes how multinationals like Lafarge navigate ethics and profit in conflict zones, raising questions on global accountability.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This