CAIRO — At least 12 people were killed and 10 injured in Egypt’s southwestern desert Sunday when security forces mistakenly fired on a group of Mexican tourists, Egyptian officials said.
CAIRO — At least 12 people were killed and 10 injured in Egypt’s southwestern desert Sunday when security forces mistakenly fired on a group of Mexican tourists, Egyptian officials said.
The Mexican Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident and said at least two of the dead were Mexican nationals. It said in a statement that the victims were still being identified, and Foreign Ministry personnel were working with the families of the victims.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto posted a statement on his Twitter feed Monday morning saying his government “condemns these acts against our citizens” and demanding a thorough investigation.
A joint military-police force was pursuing “terrorist elements” in the area and fired on four cars that turned out to be carrying tourists, according to Egypt’s Interior Ministry. The ministry said the victims were Egyptian and Mexican.
Egyptian officials claim the safari convoy had wandered into a restricted area of the western desert. The tour company involved “did not have permits and did not inform authorities,” Rasha Azazi, a spokesperson for the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism, told The Associated Press, adding that any trips to that area are required to be cleared by officials.