The Council of Egypt’s Churches strongly condemned the terrorist attack which left 21 border guards killed in Farafra in the Western Desert governorate of the New Valley, The council extended its hearfelt condolences to the families of the soldiers. Father Bishoi Helmy, Secretary-General of the council, called for prayers for the injured, and said Egypt’s Churches raised daily prayers for God to grant peace and security to Egypt.
The separate Churches also offered their condolences and prayers to the families of the victims, the injured, and to Defence Minister Sidqy Sobhy and President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi who declared a state of mourning for three days starting today and vowed revenge.
As announced by army spokesman Brigadier General Muhammad Samir, militants attacked a military checkpoint in al-Wadi al-Gadid (The New Valley) governorate in southern Egypt on Saturday 19 July, killing 22 border guards.
Samir said the slain were killed during an exchange of fire with unknown gunmen which led “to explosion of the checkpoint’s ammunition store”. He explained that the gunmen used rocket-propelled grenades. Another four soldiers were injured, he said, “in addition to a number of terrorists”.
The army statement added that two vehicles carrying ammunition and primed to explode were confiscated at the scene and defused. An anonymous security source quoted by MENA had originally described the assailants as smugglers of weapons along the Egypt Libya border.
According to Al-Ahram Arabic news website, the same checkpoint was targeted two months ago when five army conscripts and an officer were killed by gunmen.
Al-Wadi al-Gadid is a large governorate that borders both Libya and Sudan. The attack took place at a checkpoint at the 100km mark on the Cairo Farfara road, a local oasis town.
The attack was reportedly carried at iftar, the post-sunset meal when Muslims break their fast during Ramadan.
Watani International
20 July 2014