Mon Sep 14, 2015 | 12:38 PM EDT
By Ahmed Mohamed Hassan
CAIRO (Reuters) -
Egyptian security forces killed 12 people and wounded 10 "by accident" when they mistook a convoy of mostly Mexican tourists for a group of militants they were hunting in the desert, the interior ministry said on Monday.
At least two Mexicans were killed, Mexico's
foreign ministry said, though Egyptian security
and judicial sources later said that eight
Mexicans and four Egyptians were killed, and
eight Mexicans and two Egyptians were
wounded.
The group of 22 had parked their four 4x4
vehicles off-road on Sunday for a barbecue
near the Bahariya oasis, a tourist site in the
western desert, when army aircraft suddenly
began shelling them from above, security
sources said.
As members of the tourist convoy tried to flee,
additional security forces on the ground fired on them.
"Mexico condemns these deeds against our
citizens and has demanded an exhaustive
investigation of what has occurred," President
Enrique Pena Nieto said on his Twitter account.
Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu told reporters her government had sent a diplomatic note to Egypt, expressing indignation and demanding a full inquiry.
Six Mexicans who survived the incident told
Mexico's ambassador to Egypt they had been
bombed by helicopters and an aircraft while
they stopped for a break in the desert.
"They each said separately they had been
bombarded from the air by a plane and
helicopters," said Massieu.
No details were provided about the identities of the tourists, other than that they had arrived in Egypt on Sept. 11.
ISLAMIST INSURGENCY
Egypt is battling an insurgency that gained
pace after the military ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in mid-2013 after mass protests against his rule.
The insurgency, mounted by Islamic State's
Egyptian affiliate, has killed hundreds of
soldiers and police and has started to attack
Western targets.
A joint force from the Egyptian police and
military had been chasing militants in the
country's vast western desert when it came
across the tourist convoy, which it mistook for
the militants it was pursuing, the Interior
Ministry said in a statement.
Egypt's army spokesperson declined to
comment and said only to refer to the interior
ministry statement.
Islamic State released a statement carried by
its supporters on Twitter saying it had repelled
an attack by the Egyptian military in the western desert.
Security officials say militants operating from
Libya to the west of Egypt have been trying to
forge ties with Islamists in the Sinai on the east side of the country.
The vehicles used by the tourist convoy closely
resembled those of the militants the joint force
had been pursuing, security sources said.
'RESTRICTED AREA'
Egyptian tourism federation chairman Elhamy
Elzayat told Reuters: "The area is a restricted
area, and the company made a mistake by
taking the tourists to that area without a permit.
They must obtain a permit before going there."
Officials at the company that organized the tour were not immediately available for comment.
Despite the apparent danger of the area, there are no warning signs along the desert path, and the attack occurred despite an official police representative accompanying the tourist convoy, said tour guide syndicate leader Hassan al-Nahla.
"Because of this negligence and lack of
coordination between the ministry of tourism
and ministry of interior, Egypt...will pay the price when this affects tourism," said al-Nahla.
While the Islamist insurgency has been largely
based in the Sinai Peninsula, attacks have
taken place in Cairo and other cities.
(Reporting by Asma Alsharif; writing by Eric
Knecht; additional reporting by Michael O'Boyle in Mexico City; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
By Ahmed Mohamed Hassan
CAIRO (Reuters) -
Egyptian security forces killed 12 people and wounded 10 "by accident" when they mistook a convoy of mostly Mexican tourists for a group of militants they were hunting in the desert, the interior ministry said on Monday.
At least two Mexicans were killed, Mexico's
foreign ministry said, though Egyptian security
and judicial sources later said that eight
Mexicans and four Egyptians were killed, and
eight Mexicans and two Egyptians were
wounded.
The group of 22 had parked their four 4x4
vehicles off-road on Sunday for a barbecue
near the Bahariya oasis, a tourist site in the
western desert, when army aircraft suddenly
began shelling them from above, security
sources said.
As members of the tourist convoy tried to flee,
additional security forces on the ground fired on them.
"Mexico condemns these deeds against our
citizens and has demanded an exhaustive
investigation of what has occurred," President
Enrique Pena Nieto said on his Twitter account.
Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu told reporters her government had sent a diplomatic note to Egypt, expressing indignation and demanding a full inquiry.
Six Mexicans who survived the incident told
Mexico's ambassador to Egypt they had been
bombed by helicopters and an aircraft while
they stopped for a break in the desert.
"They each said separately they had been
bombarded from the air by a plane and
helicopters," said Massieu.
No details were provided about the identities of the tourists, other than that they had arrived in Egypt on Sept. 11.
ISLAMIST INSURGENCY
Egypt is battling an insurgency that gained
pace after the military ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in mid-2013 after mass protests against his rule.
The insurgency, mounted by Islamic State's
Egyptian affiliate, has killed hundreds of
soldiers and police and has started to attack
Western targets.
A joint force from the Egyptian police and
military had been chasing militants in the
country's vast western desert when it came
across the tourist convoy, which it mistook for
the militants it was pursuing, the Interior
Ministry said in a statement.
Egypt's army spokesperson declined to
comment and said only to refer to the interior
ministry statement.
Islamic State released a statement carried by
its supporters on Twitter saying it had repelled
an attack by the Egyptian military in the western desert.
Security officials say militants operating from
Libya to the west of Egypt have been trying to
forge ties with Islamists in the Sinai on the east side of the country.
The vehicles used by the tourist convoy closely
resembled those of the militants the joint force
had been pursuing, security sources said.
'RESTRICTED AREA'
Egyptian tourism federation chairman Elhamy
Elzayat told Reuters: "The area is a restricted
area, and the company made a mistake by
taking the tourists to that area without a permit.
They must obtain a permit before going there."
Officials at the company that organized the tour were not immediately available for comment.
Despite the apparent danger of the area, there are no warning signs along the desert path, and the attack occurred despite an official police representative accompanying the tourist convoy, said tour guide syndicate leader Hassan al-Nahla.
"Because of this negligence and lack of
coordination between the ministry of tourism
and ministry of interior, Egypt...will pay the price when this affects tourism," said al-Nahla.
While the Islamist insurgency has been largely
based in the Sinai Peninsula, attacks have
taken place in Cairo and other cities.
(Reporting by Asma Alsharif; writing by Eric
Knecht; additional reporting by Michael O'Boyle in Mexico City; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Semper Fidelis
![[Image: SyAa0qj.png]](https://i.imgur.com/SyAa0qj.png)
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