40 Terrorists Planning Attacks during Christmas Celebrations in Egypt Killed: Egyptian Interior Ministry

CAIRO- Egypt’s Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that it had killed 40 terrorists in a raid on three hideouts in Egypt’s Giza and North Sinai governorate, a statement by the interior ministry read.

The ministry highlighted that the raid was carried out at dawn on Saturday targeting terrorists who have been planning to carry out hostile acts during Christmas celebrations, according to Ahram Online.

According to the statement, 14 were killed in the 6th of October city in Giza governorate while 16 others were killed in a residential area at the Al-Wahat Al-Baharia road near Giza governorate.

The statement added that 10 others were killed in Egypt’s North Sinai city of Arish.

Large amounts of ammunition, firearms, improvised explosive devices were found inside the terrorists’ hideouts.

The Interior Ministry said that “this comes as a continuation of the ministry’s efforts in chasing terrorist elements involved in the implementation of hostile operations seeking to destabilize the country’s security.”

“Information was available to the national security sector about the preparation and planning of a series of terrorist attacks targeting state institutions, especially economy, tourism industry, armed forces, police and Christian houses of worship,” the statement read.

Bomb Attack on Tourist Bus in Egypt’s Giza Kills Three Vietnamese, one Egyptian

On Friday, a bomb attack targeted a tourist bus near the Egyptian Giza pyramids. The bus was in the Haram district near the pyramids; 14 Vietnamese tourists and two Egyptian workers were on board.

According to reports three Vietnamese and one Egyptian were killed and 11 people were injured.

Egypt’s foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez described the bomb attack as a “cowardly, terrorist act”.

Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek said that “the bombing of the tourist bus in Mariouteya is a cowardly act of terrorism targeting what cannot be targeted: Egypt and the Egyptians,” Hafez wrote on Twitter.

“We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims in Vietnam and Egypt. We will continue to move towards a new year of determination to root out terrorism.”

Sadek had said that the number of injured stood at 11.

H.M