red sea – European Affairs Magazine

Egypt: Security procedures tightened at Red Sea highway checkpoints

18 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The Red Sea security authorities tightened inspection procedures at highway and border checkpoints on Sunday, particularly the checkpoint at the 85km mark on Safaga-Qena highway and the 5km mark Safaga checkpoint for vehicles coming from Upper Egypt, as well as checkpoints on roads from Lower Egypt to the southern border of Egypt. Control had been enforced since last Sunday and the two bombs attacks which have hurt Egypt, during controls each controlled car need to say where it wants to go and why. According to Qena residents, the security authorities justified this measure by saying that the defendants in the Tanta and Alexandria bombings were from the governorate. The Interior Ministry had announced that 16 Qena residents are suspected of involvement in the bombings.

Egypt: the “bloody” Red Sea

Yesterday, 3 foreign tourists were stabbed at Bella Vista Hotel by two suspected Daesh militants. The attack occurred in Hurghada, at a Egyptian Red Sea resort. One of the jihadist was killed by the police (Mohamed Hassan Mohamed Mahfouz, 22, student), while the other injured. As reported by local police, they were also armed with gun, explosives belt and an ISIS flag. While sources told the BBC their purpose was to kidnap tourists.

This assault happened after attack close to the Pyramids of Giza last Thursday, during Coptic Orthodox Christians celebration, and raid against a tourist bus carrying Israelis. Both of them were claimed by Islamic State.