At least 12 killed when Egyptian forces fire on Mexican tourists
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. 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 Mexican and Egyptian. 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 the Farafra area are required to be cleared by officials.
