Egypt: Roadside explosion in Sinai kills three policemen July 4

Event

Three policemen were killed and ten others wounded by a roadside bomb in the south of Arish, the capital of North Sinai province, on Tuesday, July 4. Security sources claim the planted explosive was detonated remotely when the armored vehicle carrying the policemen drove by. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the authorities suspect Islamic State (IS) involvement.

Context

Egypt faces an IS militant insurgency in the restive Sinai Peninsula, where hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed since 2013. Egypt has been under a nationwide state of emergency since April 2017, when IS militants carried out attacks on two churches in Tanta and Alexandria, leaving over 50 people dead.

Advice

The security environment in Egypt remains complex. Although travel is permissible in some areas, other areas should be considered strictly off limits. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel.