- Islamic terrorists ambushed security forces with rockets, bombs and guns
- The security forces were on the way to raid a suspected jihadi desert hide out
- Officials claimed the attack took place some 185 miles south west of Cairo
- The oasis is located in the Western Desert which is not known for jihadi violence
At least 52 Egyptian police and military have been killed with six wounded following an ambush by Islamic militants in the country’s Western Desert.
The security forces were planning to raid a suspected jihadi hideout when the terrorists launched their attack using rockets, bombs and machine guns.
A number of the jihadis were also killed although officials have not released the number.
The raid took place near the town of el-Bawity, Bahariya Oasis, some 125 miles outside Cairo
Egyptian security forces were about to raid a jihadi hideout when they were ambushed
The attack took place near the Bahariya oasis in the country’s Western Desert, security and medical sources said Saturday, in a rare flare-up outside the Sinai Peninsula.
The interior ministry said security forces hunting down Islamist militants in the region were attacked late Friday on a road to the Bahariya oasis southwest of Cairo.
An official statement said a number of the attackers were killed, but did not give any figures for losses on either side.
According to a source close to the security services, the convoy was hit by rocket fire. The attackers also used explosive devices.
There has not yet been a claim of responsibility. A fake claim in the name of the small extremist group Hasm, reported by multiple local media, spread on social media soon after the attack.
Since the army removed President Mohamed Morsi, of the Muslim Brotherhood, extremist groups have increased their attacks on the military and police.
Authorities have been fighting the Egyptian branch of ISIS, which has increased its attacks in the north of the Sinai peninsula more than 300 miles away from the latest violence.
In response to the latest bloodshed Egyptian security forces appeared to step up their operations in the area of the attack.
Two truck drivers heading away from the scene told AFP they had seen heavy deployments of security personnel in the area and that aircraft were carrying out surveillance.
On October 13, the Egyptian army said six soldiers were killed in a ‘terrorist’ gun and grenade attack on a security post near the North Sinai provincial capital of El-Arish.