Attack on checkpoint in New Valley governorate

[newcastle]

At least eight police officers have been killed and three wounded in an attack on a security checkpoint in Egypt's New Valley province in the Western Desert, according to the interior ministry.

The attack on Monday occurred at around 8:15pm local time (18:15 GMT) in Naqb checkpoint, about 70km away from Kharga city, state television said.

Two of the assailants were killed and the remaining attackers were being pursued, according to the ministry.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Attacks on Egyptian security forces are common in the Sinai Peninsula bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip, where a local branch of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group operates.

Incidents in the Western Desert are rarer, although 22 soldiers were killed in an attack near the Farafra oasis. northwest of Kharga. in July 2014.

In September 2015, eight Mexican tourists and four Egyptians accompanying them were killed near the Bahariya oasis, further north, when security forces mistook them for armed rebels they were seeking in the area.

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/01/e ... 13912.html

[Dusak]

According to the Kuwait news last night, this was the seventh such attack in as many days.

[newcastle]

I'm guessing they're referring to insurgent attacks generally....and they are frequent in Sinai.

The New Valley incident is worrying in that it is an area which has generally been unaffected.

I suspect it signals the end of tourist trips to the desert regions and oases.

[carrie]

Yildez and I asked to go last January (2015) and were told then that it was impossible, just not safe. So nothing new. I just wish we had spent more time there the year before.

[Brian Yare]

The UK.GOV advice has been not to visit New Valley Governorate for several years now. I don't see that changing any time soon.

I visited Kharga in Spring 2011. I had no security concerns at that time. They said I was the first tourist that had visited many of the sites since before the 2011 revolution. Probably trying to get extra sympathy backsheesh, but I only saw one other tourist in the region.

[carrie]

When we went in 2014, we were checked at every point on route and our details were sent through to the next check point, we saw the temple and mausoleums on the hill OK but when we wanted to walk around the city of Kharga itself we were accompanied by police. We were also told that we had to leave before 4.30pm.
Went with Petra (Oceanus) who know us well and wouldn't take us again last year, I trust the company and if they say no then I listen. So although we probably could have got some other company to take us thought it best to follow advice. I don't want to put anyone at risk by thinking they have to protect me.

[A-Four]

The UK.GOV advice has been not to visit New Valley Governorate for several years now. I don't see that changing any time soon.

Brian makes a very interesting post here, and one that I am sure he adheres to.

It may come as a surprise to some on here but, if you look over the river in Karnack, at night you will see the lights of the small town called Tariffe, this place is about a mile west of the river bank. This small town is within the New Valley Governorate. It may also be of interest to others that mostly all of the major tourists sites on the WB are also within the New Valley Governorate authority. Therefore, I am sure that should an 'accident' occur at any of these places, similar to the Hatshepsut incident, the British Foreign Office will, I'm certain, issue a reminder of the above statement given here by Brian.

P.S.- Almost forgot, I think I should also inform you Brian, your favourite drinking hole on the WB is also in the New Valley Governorate. .

[carrie]

Are you sure A Four I thought things changed when Luxor became a Governorate independent of Qena.

[A-Four]

Are you sure A Four I thought things changed when Luxor became a Governorate independent of Qena.

No, all that changed there Carrie was that the Governorate authority moved to Luxor which still includes Quena, and extended slightly further south and, I think includes most of Essna, a big mistake in my opinion, but that's another subject.

The New Valley, Red Sea and another in the north are the three very large Governorates of Egypt, who's borders have been clearly drawn for some time now.

[newcastle]

The UK.GOV advice has been not to visit New Valley Governorate for several years now. I don't see that changing any time soon.

Brian makes a very interesting post here, and one that I am sure he adheres to.

It may come as a surprise to some on here but, if you look over the river in Karnack, at night you will see the lights of the small town called Tariffe, this place is about a mile west of the river bank. This small town is within the New Valley Governorate. It may also be of interest to others that mostly all of the major tourists sites on the WB are also within the New Valley Governorate authority. Therefore, I am sure that should an 'accident' occur at any of these places, similar to the Hatshepsut incident, the British Foreign Office will, I'm certain, issue a reminder of the above statement given here by Brian.

P.S.- Almost forgot, I think I should also inform you Brian, your favourite drinking hole on the WB is also in the New Valley Governorate. .

The fact that VoK, Deir el Bahari etc lie in the New Valley Governorate is academic.

Current FCO advice does not include the New Valley Governorate, per se, as an area to be avoided. It refers to "...the area west of the Nile Valley...."

Indeed it specifically excludes Vok and tourist sites along the Nile river in Luxor from the areas to which it advises against all but essential travel.

[Horus]

"The tourist areas along the Nile river (including Luxor, Qina, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings) and the Red Sea resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada aren’t included in the areas to which the FCO advise against all but essential travel."

Source:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt

[newcastle]

Are you sure A Four I thought things changed when Luxor became a Governorate independent of Qena.

No, all that changed there Carrie was that the Governorate authority moved to Luxor which still includes Quena, and extended slightly further south and, I think includes most of Essna, a big mistake in my opinion, but that's another subject.

The New Valley, Red Sea and another in the north are the three very large Governorates of Egypt, who's borders have been clearly drawn for some time now.

Luxor Governorate does not include Qena. Luxor and its environs were formerly part of Qena Governorate.

That ended when the Luxor Governorate was formed in 2009 leaving Qena as a separate governorate with its capital at Qena.

[Brian Yare]

The UK.GOV advice has been not to visit New Valley Governorate for several years now. I don't see that changing any time soon.

Brian makes a very interesting post here, and one that I am sure he adheres to.

It may come as a surprise to some on here but, if you look over the river in Karnack, at night you will see the lights of the small town called Tariffe, this place is about a mile west of the river bank. This small town is within the New Valley Governorate. It may also be of interest to others that mostly all of the major tourists sites on the WB are also within the New Valley Governorate authority. Therefore, I am sure that should an 'accident' occur at any of these places, similar to the Hatshepsut incident, the British Foreign Office will, I'm certain, issue a reminder of the above statement given here by Brian.

P.S.- Almost forgot, I think I should also inform you Brian, your favourite drinking hole on the WB is also in the New Valley Governorate. .

I am well aware that the New Valley governorate technically covers many of the WB sites. There is a thin grey line on Google Earth. Abydos is also in NV. I have pointed this out before on L4U.

But ask a resident of e.g. New New Qurna, (Zamzam, etc.) where he votes. I don't think that the line on the map represents the actual coverage. UK.GOV seems to agree as quoted elsewhere in this thread.

[Major Thom]

Could this be another of Trumps fake news articles? So many times wears told Egypt is safe

[newcastle]

Back on form I see