Egypt has seen an uptick in terror attacks since the weekend marking the four year anniversary of the January 25 uprising. Over fifty people have been killed, among them at least twenty civilians, and over 150 injured, among them almost thirty civilians. In addition to the casualties, bombs targeting infrastructure has led to blackouts in some villages, and the interruption of railroad services in several governorates.
While the security forces have borne the brunt of the attacks, the increase in terrorist violence only serves to underline a very real security threat felt by the general Egyptian public. This, however, also serves to overtake other major concerns amongst the majority of population.
While a large number of the attacks have been claimed by militant groups Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis and Ajnad Misr, the government has placed much of the blame on the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. In its English-language statements, the Brotherhood has continued to condemn the attacks on Egypt’s security forces, however, in Arabic it has begun to outwardly call on its supporters to prepare for Jihad, a tactic that has been consistently employed by the Brotherhood.
The following is a chronological list of attacks across Egypt’s governments over the course of nine days.
Sinai
Jan 24
- Six bodies were found in al-Arish, all killed by gunshots.
Jan 26
- A conscript was injured during an exchange of fire with militants in front of a police station in Sheikh Zuweid.
- Three bodies were also found in al-Arish on Monday, all killed by gunshots.
- Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis released a video showing the abduction and killing of a police officer.
Jan 29
- Thirty-two people, among them twenty-five soldiers and a policeman, were killed in a series of simultaneous attacks in North Sinai. At least 105 were injured. The attacks targeted an army base, the North Sinai Security Directorate headquarters, at least eight checkpoints, an army-owned hotel, and a police club. Mortar rounds and car bombs were used in the attacks, and the high death toll was caused by the explosion of an army ammunition store. Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM), an Egyptian militant group which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the attack. The army spokesman, however, blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for the attack. While the Brotherhood was among the many Egyptian groups to publicly condemn the attack, days earlier the group had posted a statement in Arabic in what appears to be a call to arms.
- A decapitated body was found in Sheikh Zuweid.
- Unknown assailants fired at an army checkpoint in Rafah. No casualties were reported.
Jan 30
- Gunmen killed an officer and injured a conscript in a drive-by shooting in Rafah.
- In a separate attack, gunmen injured four civilians, among them a woman, in a drive-by shooting in Rafah.
- An attack on a checkpoint in Sheikh Zuweid also left two civilians injured.
Jan 31
- Six conscripts were injured in three separate attacks on Rafah security checkpoints.
- An employee of North Sinai’s traffic administration was shot by three unidentified assailants. The state employee was apparently shot for cooperating with security forces.
- A suicide bomber was killed before he was able to detonate a car bomb targeting security forces in Sheikh Zuweid.
- Unidentified assailants launched an RPG attack on a Rafah checkpoint. An exact number of casualties has not been reported.
- A conscript was injured when unidentified assailants fired on him in Central Sinai.
Feb 1
- A conscript was injured in al-Arish when unidentified assailants shot at him early Sunday morning.
Feb 2
- A conscript was wounded on Monday in al-Arish when unidentified assailants shot him.
- Two women were killed in Rafah when an RPG attack targeting a military checkpoint hit a house. Two women and two children were also injured in the attack.
- A woman was killed by a stray bullet as militants and security forces shot at each other. Two others were wounded.
Cairo & Giza
Jan 23
- Four police conscripts and a woman were injured when a bomb placed under a private car in Alf Maskan exploded.
Jan 25
- A bomb targeting a Central Security Forces exploded in Alf Maskan, near the Shams Sporting Club, injuring two officers. Ajnad Misr claimed responsibility for the attack.
Jan 26
- A bomb found in a bathroom in Cairo’s City Stars Mall was defused. The mall was evacuated, and surrounding roads sealed off.
Jan 27
- A Heliopolis court was evacuated after two bombs were found in its vicinity.
Jan 28
- A bomb was defused in Abdel Moneim Riyad Square, just off of Tahrir.
Jan 30
- Three bombs were defused in Faysal Street in Haram.
- The Monib police station was torched. Giza authorities said Muslim Brotherhood supporters were behind the attack.
Feb 2
- Police defused two explosives at Cairo International Airport. One bomb was planted at the EgyptAir arrival hall, while the other was located near to a police patrol station.
Feb 3
- A sound bomb in electrical box exploded in downtown Cairo, near Talaat Harb Square. The blast damaged shop windows but did not cause any injuries.
Alexandria
Jan 27
- One person was killed and two injured trying to plant a bomb close to a police station. According to some reports, two people were killed in the explosion, and two injured.
Jan 30
- A bomb exploded at Alexandria’s al-Dekhela Port, injuring a passerby and a driver. A second bomb exploded in west Alexandria, targeting a police vehicle. A police officer and conscript suffered minor injuries.
Feb 1
- A bomb was defused in near a post office in Alexandria.
Feb 2
- A bomb exploded near the Judge’s Club. No injuries were reported.
Feb 3
- A roadside bomb exploded in front of a hospital in Alexandria killing a civilian bystander and injuring two others. The bomb was targeting a security convoy.
- Unknown assailants torched an Alexandria tram. No injuries were reported.
Minya
Jan 29
- A policeman was injured in a driveby shooting. Four unknown gunmen opened fire at him as he was heading to work.
Port Said
Jan 27
- A bomb exploded at the temporary headquarters of the Worker’s Union Federation. No casualties were reported.
Jan 29
- There were two simultaneous attacks on buses in Port Said. Three people were injured in the first explosion, which took place at the Port Said bus station. It is believed that unknown assailants threw a hand grenade into the bus from a taxi.
- A bus belonging to the Misr Petroleum Company was targeted in a second explosion. No one was injured in the attack.
- A suspected militant died trying to plant a bomb at an electrical transmission unit.
Jan 30
- An officer was injured in an explosion. According to state news agency MENA, police were carrying out a raid on a Muslim Brotherhood member’s home when they were a bomb was thrown at them.
Suez
Jan 29
- A policeman was killed on Thursday when a bomb targeted a police building in Suez.
Qalyubeya
Jan 27
- An explosion at a security checkpoint near a mosque complex in Qalyubeya left seven security personnel and two civilians injured. Unknown assailants on a motorbike threw a bomb at the checkpoint.
- An explosion targeted a checkpoint in Qalyubeya, but no casualties were reported.
Jan 30
- Unknown assailants torched a public transport bus. No casualties were reported.
- A bomb exploded near a checkpoint in Abu Zaabal. No casualties were reported.
Jan 31
- Two sound bombs detonated in a residential area in Qalyubeya. No injuries were reported.
Feb 2
- A bomb was defused in Qalyubeya.
Sharqiya
Jan 24
- A bomb exploded on a railroad tunnel in Zagazig, leading to the partial collapse of the tunnel.
Jan 28
- Six bombs exploded in Sharqiya targeting a police station, a parking garage, an ATM and a drinking water pipeline. Two people were injured and four electrical transmission units were damaged, cutting off electricity in the area.
Aswan
Jan 28
- A bomb exploded inside the Kom Ombo court. No casualties were reported.
Jan 31
- Two bombs exploded in a train bound to Aswan from Cairo. The bomb exploded as the train entered the Aswan train station. No casualties were reported, with the attack causing minor damage to the interior of the train. A third bomb was defused in the train station.
Edfu
Jan 27
- Train movement from Edfu to Aswan was halted after a suspicious package was found on the tracks.
Kafr al-Sheikh
Jan 28
- Three people, among them one policeman, were injured in a driveby shooting by unknown gunmen.
Beheira
Jan 24
- Two bombs exploded in Beheira’s Boulad village, leading to the collapse of an electricity tower.
Jan 25
- Two suspected militants were killed while planting an explosive device below an electric pylon. Security forces defused another explosive device found in the area.
Jan 27
- A bomb exploded in a railway track between the villages of Edku and El-Bosaily in Beheira governorate. No casualties were reported, and train movement was halted on the railway line until repairs were completed.
Mounifeya
Jan 25
- Three bombs exploded targeting electricity pylons and a railway track. Two electricity pylons were struck, causing blackouts in several villages. The third bomb destroyed part of the Cairo-Alexandria railway.
Feb 2
- A bomb was defused near Serag Mall in Nasr City.
Feb 3
- A bomb was defused inside a hospital in Mounifeya. The hospital was evacuated.
Zagazig
Jan 24
- A bomb exploded on the tracks of the Zagazig-Ismailiya railway, temporarily halting movement on the railway as a result.
Fayoum
Jan 28
- Six separate explosions took place in different parts of Fayoum. A bomb exploded near a court building, leaving no injuries, and another bomb exploded near a police station and a hospital, leaving one minor injury.
Jan 29
- A bomb exploded on the Fayoum-Wasty railroad. No casualties were reported, but train movement was halted for an hour.
Jan 31
- A bomb exploded at a security checkpoint in Fayoum, wounding three members of the security forces.
Feb 2
- Three IEDs exploded in different areas in Fayoum. At least one electricity pylon was downed in the attacks, leading to power outages that lasted six hours.
Qena
Jan 28
- Two bombs were found close to a checkpoint in Qena. One detonated, leaving no casualties, while the other was defused.
For information on protest-related violence, please click here.