January 2014 Cairo bombings
Part of Post-coup unrest in Egypt
LocationCairo, Egypt
Date24 and 25 January 2014
First and largest explosion at 06:30 local time
Attack type
Bombings
WeaponsBomb, truck bomb, firearms
Deaths7 (4 at police headquarters; 2 at Metro (Dokki);[1] 1 at cinema (Giza))[2]
Injured100+[3]

On 24 and 25 January 2014 a series of bombs exploded in Greater Cairo. The first four explosions occurred on the day before the anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011,[3] with the fifth coming on the anniversary itself.

24 January

The Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo, which was badly damaged in the first explosion

Police headquarters

The first was at the police headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, which were attacked with a large truck bomb just after 06:30 local time.[3][4] CCTV caught a white truck stop at 06:29 outside the building, with the driver jumping into another car.[5] The blast could be heard across the city, and gunfire was heard after the explosion.[3] At least five people were killed and 75 injured.[3] The front of the multi-storey building was badly damaged, as were the National Archives building and the Museum of Islamic Art, whose collection was severely damaged.[3][5] Irina Bokova, Unesco's director-general, said: "This raises the danger of irreversible damage to the history and identity of the Egyptian people."[5] After the explosion a large crowd gathered, some of whom sang chants against the Muslim Brotherhood, including ""The people demand the execution of the Brotherhood."[4]

Other bombs

Three more bombs exploded in western Cairo: the first was near the Behoos Metro Station in the Dokki district (two people killed),[1][3][5] the second was at a police station near the Giza pyramids (no casualties),[3] and the third at the Radobis cinema in Giza (one person killed).[3]

25 January

On 25 January another bomb exploded at 07:00 local time in the Ein Shams district of eastern Cairo but there were no casualties.[6]

Claims of responsibility

Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, a group affiliated to Al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for all the bombings, saying in a statement, "We tell our dear nation that these attacks were only the first drops of rain, so wait for what is coming up."[3][6] A group called Soldiers of Egypt took responsibility for the blast near the metro station.[7]

International reactions

References

  1. ^ a b "Giza police conscript bomb victim dies". Ahram Online. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Cairo hit by four bomb blasts on Friday, killing 6". Ahram Online. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Large 'car bomb' explosion hits central Cairo". BBC News. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  4. ^ a b Kingsley, Patrick (24 January 2014). "Huge explosion rocks centre of Cairo". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d Kingsley, Patrick (24 January 2014). "Cairo hit by four explosions as Egypt insurgency escalates". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Cairo bombings: militant group claims responsibility as new blast hits city". The Guardian. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  7. ^ "Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis claims responsibility for military helicopter crash and attacks". Egypt Independent. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  8. ^ "EU condemns bomb attacks in Egypt". Kuwait News Agency. 24 January 2014.
  9. ^ a b "U.S. and Saudi Arabia condemn Cairo attacks". Al Arabiya. 24 January 2014.
  10. ^ "UAE condemns terrorist bombings in Cairo". Gulf News. 24 January 2014.
  11. ^ "US condemns Egypt bombings, calls for calm". AFP. 24 January 2014.

External links

Egyptian Crisis (2011–2014)
Categories