Egypt security forces accidentally kill 12, including Mexican tourists
A joint force from military and the Egyptian police was chasing militants in the nation’s vast western desert, which borders Libya, when it inadvertently opened fire.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto condemned the strike on his Twitter account, requiring a complete investigation and describing it as a terrible event.
“Mexico condemns these titles against our citizens and has demanded an exhaustive investigation of what’s occurred,” he tweeted.
Egypt’s tourism ministry spokesman told state news agency MENA the convoy was at an off limits website and was using unlicensed automobiles. The convoy was taking part in an unapproved safari, he said.
Mexican ambassador Jorge Alvarez met with five Mexicans who were in stable condition in hospital, Mexico’s foreign ministry said.
The Mexican ministry said an “undetermined” number of its own state’s nationals were attacked and that it was in the process of identifying the two who had been killed.
Egypt is fighting with an insurgency that increased speed in mid-2013 after mass demonstrations against his rule.
The insurgency, mounted by Islamic State’s Egyptian affiliate, has started to attack Western targets and has killed hundreds of soldiers and police.
Earlier on Sunday Islamic State released a statement carried on Twitter by its supporters saying it had repelled an attack from the Egyptian military in the western desert.
Strikes have taken place in Cairo and other cities, while the insurgency has been largely based in the Sinai Peninsula. In August, an Egyptian military aircraft crashed on a mission against Islamist militants in the western desert near the Libyan border while, killing four people.
Security officials say militants running from Libya to the west of Egypt have already been striving to forge ties with Islamists in the Sinai on the east side of the united states.
Egyptian jets bombed Islamic State targets in Libya in February, a day after the group there released a video showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians, attracting on Cairo straight into factional clash across its edge.
