Mexico has been trying to get more details from the Egyptian authorities about the attack on a number of Mexican tourists who were caught in friendly
Mexico has been trying to get more details from the Egyptian authorities about the attack on a number of Mexican tourists who were caught in friendly fire while sightseeing in the Western Desert.
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There is some confusion about how many of the 12 dead were Mexicans, but there is no confusion about what happened.
The Egyptian army mistook the tourist convoy for terrorists.
“Ambassador Alvarez Fuentes personally spoke with six Mexicans who had been admitted to hospital and they all told him separately they had been targeted in an airstrike with bombs dropped from a plane and helicopters,” said the Mexican foreign ministry.
Egypt’s caretaker outgoing prime minister has already promised an inquiry into how the unauthorised four-vehicle safari managed to stray into an off-limits site, falling foul of the army that was in hot pursuit of terrorists using similar vehicles.
“We stand with the Mexican people in their tragedy. This incident is part of Egypt’s fight against terrorism,” said Ibrahim Mahleb.
Since before the army overthrew Egypt’s first elected president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, but more intensively since, an ISIL affiliate in Egypt has killed hundreds of security personnel both in its desert regions and in several cities.