Egypt: Security forces kill two suspected militants near Cairo August 24

Event

Egyptian security forces killed two suspected members of the Hasm movement, a Muslim Brotherhood affiliate, in a gunfight in Wadi el-Natroun (Beheira province), northwest of Cairo, on Thursday, August 24. They were killed by security forces in their apartment in Wadi el-Natroun; the militants reportedly used both the apartment and a desert hideout in the area to manufacture improvised explosive devices. Per a statement by the Egyptian Interior Ministry, the alleged Hasm movement members were believed to be prominent members within the organization.

Context

Since March, Egyptian security operations have killed at least 40 Hasm movement members in the provinces of Cairo, Alexandria, Giza, Beheira, Fayoum, Qalioubiya, Minufiya, and Ismailia. The Hasm movement is a Muslim Brotherhood-linked Islamist group which regularly targets Egyptian security forces and public officials in bombings and drive-by shootings. 

Muslim Brotherhood activities were banned in Egypt after the army removed President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, from power in a 2013 coup d’état following mass protests against his rule. The government formed a committee to manage the group's funds and properties, and seized the assets of many Brotherhood leaders.

Advice

Due to the prevailing threat of terrorism, individuals throughout Egypt should report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and always be on guard when visiting sites deemed particularly vulnerable to an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.). Some governments advise their nationals against all travel to northern Sinai, where the authorities maintain a media blackout and special security zones due to the persistent terrorist threat.