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Mexico Denounces Deadly Attack on Tourists by Egyptian Forces Mexico Denounces Deadly Attack on Tourists by Egyptian Forces
(35 minutes later)
CAIRO — Mexico’s foreign minister expressed indignation on Wednesday after visiting Mexican tourists in a Cairo hospital recovering from injuries sustained in a mistaken strike by Egyptian security forces that killed a dozen people, including eight Mexicans, on Sunday. CAIRO — Mexico’s foreign minister expressed indignation on Wednesday after he visited Mexican tourists in a Cairo hospital, where they were recovering from injuries sustained in a mistaken strike by Egyptian security forces that killed a dozen people, including eight Mexicans, on Sunday.
The minister, Claudia Ruiz Massieu, arrived in Egypt early Wednesday with relatives of the wounded and slain tourists to seek answers about the attack, in which a helicopter gunship fired on a tour group that had stopped for a picnic in Egypt’s Western Desert. The minister, Claudia Ruiz Massieu, arrived in Egypt early Wednesday with relatives of the wounded and killed tourists, seeking answers about the attack, in which a helicopter gunship fired on a tour group that had stopped for a picnic in the Western Desert.
The deaths opened a rift between the countries and raised concerns about the rules governing the use of lethal force by Egypt’s security forces.The deaths opened a rift between the countries and raised concerns about the rules governing the use of lethal force by Egypt’s security forces.
“In Mexico we are very concerned about what happened,” Ms. Ruiz Massieu told reporters at Dar al-Fouad Hospital, on the western outskirts of Cairo. “We are very indignant about the incident that injured six Mexican nationals and in which eight Mexicans lost their lives.” “In Mexico, we are very concerned about what happened,” Ms. Ruiz Massieu told reporters at Dar al-Fouad Hospital, on the western outskirts of Cairo. “We are very indignant about the incident that injured six Mexican nationals, and in which eight Mexicans lost their lives.”
Ms. Ruiz Massieu also said she would meet Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, later on Wednesday.Ms. Ruiz Massieu also said she would meet Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, later on Wednesday.
“We will see from there what’s the next step in terms of taking foreign nationals back home and taking our nationals who lost their lives back home as well,” she said. “We will see from there what’s the next step in terms of taking foreign nationals back home, and taking our nationals who lost their lives back home as well,” she said.
The military strike took place after the tour group, which had arrived in Egypt a few days earlier, had stopped to eat a meal in the desert, with the permission of a police escort. The military strike took place after the tour group, which had been in Egypt a few days, had stopped to eat a meal in the desert, with the permission of a police escort.
The Interior Ministry, which oversees Egypt’s domestic security forces, said the crew of the helicopter gunship had fired on the tour group after mistaking them for militants. On Sunday, Islamic State militants published photographs online that they claimed showed an offensive against government forces in the area. A military spokesman has said the Interior Ministry was responsible for the attack. The Interior Ministry, which oversees Egypt’s domestic security forces, said crew members on the helicopter had fired on the tour group after mistaking them for militants. On Sunday, Islamic State militants published photographs online that they said showed an offensive against government forces in the area.
Human rights groups say the attack was indicative of a wider failure by Egyptian military and security forces to adequately distinguish civilians from combatants. In the north Sinai region, where the armed forces have been accused in the past of lax rules of engagement, the military is waging a continuing fight against insurgents who have killed hundreds of soldiers and police officers. A military spokesman said the Interior Ministry was responsible for the attack.
Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, rejected those criticisms in an “open letter” addressed to the Mexican people published on Tuesday. Human rights groups say the attack was indicative of a wider failure by Egyptian military and security forces to adequately distinguish civilians from combatants. In the North Sinai region, where the armed forces have been accused in the past of lax rules of engagement, the military is waging a fight against insurgents who have killed hundreds of soldiers and police officers.
The Egyptian foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, rejected those criticisms in an open letter addressed to the Mexican people and published on Tuesday.
“I am deeply troubled,” he wrote, “that some people have chosen to exploit this tragic event to allege that Egyptian law enforcement officials have no strict rules of engagement, act indiscriminately, or do not take the necessary precautions during their operations.”“I am deeply troubled,” he wrote, “that some people have chosen to exploit this tragic event to allege that Egyptian law enforcement officials have no strict rules of engagement, act indiscriminately, or do not take the necessary precautions during their operations.”