Spate of Terror Attacks in Egypt Threaten Right to Safety


Washington, D.C. – The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) gravely condemns the rash of terror attacks that have taken place in Egypt over the course of the past week and offers condolences to the victims and families of those killed in the attacks.

Three explosions near the presidential palace in Heliopolis today reportedly resulted in the deaths of two police officers, and wounded at least two others. These attacks fall on the first anniversary of the mass protests that took place on June 30, 2013, resulting in the overthrow of former President Muhammad Morsi. In a statement released last week, Ajnad Misr, a terrorist group known for enacting violence targeting state actors in Cairo, warned of  the attacks,.

Last week, in what appears to have been a coordinated attack, at least five people were injured when five bombs went off at four of Cairo’s metro stations and outside Heliopolis East Courthouse. Attacks near the capital continued over the weekend: on Saturday, the start of Ramadan, a teenage girl was killed and her mother wounded in an explosion at the site of a government building construction site on the outskirts of Cairo.

A year ago, Egyptian citizens flooded the streets to demand their right to live in a safe, democratic, and inclusive society governed by the rule of law. Today’s bombings are the latest in a series of acts that compromise this vision of society. While the Ministry of Interior had previously released video confessions of alleged members of Ajnad Misr, they have not yet been brought to trial. This continued failure to bring the perpetrators of such bombings to justice, and particularly the failure to respond to public and known threats from terrorist groups, further undermines the prospects for a secure Egyptian society.

TIMEP denounces these attacks and calls upon Egypt’s Ministry of Interior to fully and impartially investigate them and to hold accountable those found responsible. TIMEP calls upon the government to uphold its constitutional and international legal obligations to adequately protect public safety and security, without infringing upon other fundamental and legally-protected rights.

For more information, please email [email protected].

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The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of democratic transitions in the Middle East through analysis, advocacy, and action.

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