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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34241680
Security forces in Egypt have mistakenly killed 12 people, including Mexican tourists, during an anti-terror operation, the interior ministry says.
The tourists were travelling in four vehicles that entered a restricted zone in the Wahat area of the Western Desert, the ministry said. Sources said eight of those killed were Mexicans.
Ten Mexicans and Egyptians were also injured.
Egypt has been battling Islamist militants for years.
Attacks on army and police, mainly in the Sinai peninsula, have escalated since Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was ousted in 2013.
Egypt's interior ministry said the four vehicles the tourists were travelling in were "mistakenly dealt with" during a joint military police and armed forces operation.
It said the incident happened on Sunday in an area that "was off limits to foreign tourists", but it did not give an exact location.
Survivors said they suffered an "aerial attack" after stopping for a meal, according to Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu. She could only confirm that two Mexican nationals had been killed.
Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto condemned the incident and demanded an "exhaustive" investigation by Egypt.
Egyptian officials say the tourists were in a no-go zone - and had not liaised with the authorities.
But a local tour guide has denied that, saying the group was in an unrestricted area, on top of sand dunes, trying to get a bird's eye view.
Another local source - who claims to have spoken to a driver who survived the incident - told the BBC the tourists even had a police escort.
He said the safari was organised by a local hotel which co-ordinated with the security forces.
RIP Mexican tourists...
After all the continuing unrest in Egypt why would anyone still go in there for a vacation?.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34241680
Security forces in Egypt have mistakenly killed 12 people, including Mexican tourists, during an anti-terror operation, the interior ministry says.
The tourists were travelling in four vehicles that entered a restricted zone in the Wahat area of the Western Desert, the ministry said. Sources said eight of those killed were Mexicans.
Ten Mexicans and Egyptians were also injured.
Egypt has been battling Islamist militants for years.
Attacks on army and police, mainly in the Sinai peninsula, have escalated since Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was ousted in 2013.
Egypt's interior ministry said the four vehicles the tourists were travelling in were "mistakenly dealt with" during a joint military police and armed forces operation.
It said the incident happened on Sunday in an area that "was off limits to foreign tourists", but it did not give an exact location.
Survivors said they suffered an "aerial attack" after stopping for a meal, according to Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu. She could only confirm that two Mexican nationals had been killed.
Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto condemned the incident and demanded an "exhaustive" investigation by Egypt.
Egyptian officials say the tourists were in a no-go zone - and had not liaised with the authorities.
But a local tour guide has denied that, saying the group was in an unrestricted area, on top of sand dunes, trying to get a bird's eye view.
Another local source - who claims to have spoken to a driver who survived the incident - told the BBC the tourists even had a police escort.
He said the safari was organised by a local hotel which co-ordinated with the security forces.
RIP Mexican tourists...
After all the continuing unrest in Egypt why would anyone still go in there for a vacation?.
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