State of alert declared in Upper Egypt cities

[BBLUX]

From Mada Masa

"The authorities declared a state of alert in Luxor, Aswan and other areas of Upper Egypt following threats of terrorist attacks by militant groups, the state-run news site Egynews reported on Monday.

Security forces have been deployed around hotels and other tourist sites in both cities, which are important attractions for the country's tourism industry. Special deployments on roads connecting cities in the region were also reported.

The Armed Forces have been combating alleged attacks in North Sinai, where militant have targeted military checkpoints and police stations on an almost daily basis throughout last month. Though not directly tied to former President Mohamed Morsi’s ouster, such attacks have intensified since the military removed him from office on July 3 following mass protests calling for his fall.

On Sunday, the military spokesperson Ahmed Mohamed Ali said that 25 militants were killed and injured in the current special operations in the area.

Meanwhile, Upper Egypt has seen an outbreak of cases of sectarian violence throughout last month. On Sunday, clashes erupted in Beni Suef between Muslim and Christian residents over the construction of a speed bump in front of one of their houses. Last week, repeated clashes between Christians and Muslims erupted in villages near the upper Egyptian city of Minya in what has started off as a verbal altercation between a Christian and Muslim man."

This is certainly not good news at the moment. However with the new Governors being sworn in maybe it is the start of control being taken back from those seeking to cause disruption.

[HEPZIBAH]

This may be a blond moment, a senior moment, or just plain ignorance but...who or what is Mada Masa? I'm not doing very well with internet searches. I can't find any other link to this story either. I'm not doubting it but would be interested in reading further/following it up.

[Angela]

I've not heard of Mada masa and googled but couldn't find anything. I'm not blonde so blaming it on sleep deprivation.

[Who2]

Don't tell me da bruvvers want to disrupt all the tourism here in Luxor, another great idea! from the 'bearded one........
Ps: one tends to sympathise about the sleeping policeman......

[Bearded Brian]

Don't tell me da bruvvers want to disrupt all the tourism here in Luxor, another great idea! from the 'bearded one........
Ps: one tends to sympathise about the sleeping policeman......

But not from this Bearded one

[HEPZIBAH]

(And thanks to the connections of Facebook...) It would appear that the name given as the source o the article was wrong. It is not Mada Masa but Mada Masr
http://madamasr.com/content/state-alert ... ypt-cities

[BBLUX]

Oops! I made a typo as you have discovered, sorry.

[HEPZIBAH]

This is the main web page for Mada Masr

http://madamasr.com/

[Who2]

This is the main web page for Mada Masr

http://madamasr.com/

Terrific, it looks really good....

[Brian Yare]

The trouble is that people (read FCO) consider Beni Suef and Minya (among other places) as being Upper Egypt. If they were classified as Middle Egypt then the political situation there would not affect the Upper Nile south of Luxor (or Abydos if I were feeling generous).

I do not see this 'alert' as being helpful to an early return of tourists to Upper Egypt, as tourists have known it for at least 20 years, being Abydos and the south.

[Hafiz]

Is it me or can anyone find out from their web site who is Mada Masa? There is no 'who we are', contact details, profiles on.. They do cite photo-journalists.

They state that they are the author of all their articles which must put them up along side Reuters and the BBC and mean they have access to an immense pool of their own journalists.

Maybe the photographs of prostitutes/dating opportunities on their site are their source of income. Who knows, they might be their journalists.