Egyptian security forces shoot at Mexican tourist group, kill 12

Egypt’s Tourism Ministry, for its part, said the tourists had been in an off-limit area and had been using unlicensed vehicles for a safari expedition that had not been approved by the local authorities.

The tourists were mistakenly killed by a “joint force from the police and armed forces” who were pursuing “terrorist elements” in an area of the desert, according to a brief statement posted on the Facebook page of Egypt’s Interior Ministry. The Egyptian authorities ensure that the convoy was in a prohibited area to tourists and their guides had not informed the authorities of their trip.

Mexico says at least two of its nationals were killed in the attack.

But six Mexican survivors told Mexico’s ambassador to Egypt that they had stopped for a meal when they “suffered an aerial attack with bombs launched by a plane and helicopters”, Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu told a news conference.

Mona el-Bakri, spokeswoman for Dar al-Fouad hospital where the wounded were being treated, said two of the seven Mexicans being treated also hold USA citizenship.

President Enrique Pena Nieto said 14 Mexicans were among those involved in Sunday’s “grave incident” in the Western Desert.

“I have been in communication with Egypt’s ambassador in Mexico, Yasser Shaban, since yesterday, and I received him this morning at the Foreign Secretariat, where a diplomatic note, in which the government of Mexico expresses its deep consternation over this deplorable incident, was given to him”, Ruiz Massieu said.

The interior ministry on Monday said security forces mistakenly killed the tourists, which includes some Mexicans during an anti-terror operation. “The Mexican side is receiving the best care and we will take care of the Egyptian victims”, Mehleb said after his visit.

She said a relative of the guide had sent her a list of eight Mexicans killed in the incident.

Two victims of the shooting have been identified as Mexican tourists.

However, Egyptian officials stand by their statement and are putting the blame on the convoy’s drivers for taking tourists to that area. Tourism is a major source of foreign currency for Egypt, generating US$7.3 billion (S$10.3 billion) in the year to June 30.

After Egypt’s military deposed former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013, Islamist militants stepped up attacks against military targets in the Western Desert.

The Egyptian government is battling an Islamist-led insurgency that includes militants from the Egyptian affiliate of Islamic State, the breakaway Al Qaeda faction also active in Libya, Egypt’s western neighbor.