Egypt says Wahat attackers received training in Libya

The Egyptian Ministry of Interior said yesterday that the perpetrators of the attack against police forces in the Wahat area, on the outskirts of Giza province, last month had been trained in Libya.

“The terrorists received training in camps in the city of Derna [eastern Libya] on the use of heavy weapons and the manufacture of explosives,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the security forces have also arrested Mohamed Abdullah Mosmary, a Libyan national who was involved in the Wahat attack.

Mosmary was the only one who survived security raids after the deadly two-day confrontations between Egyptian security forces and the militant group.

On 20 October, armed clashes between Egyptian security forces and gunmen on the Wahat highway resulted in death of 16 policemen, including 11 officers, and injured 13 others, including four officers. Fifteen gunmen were also killed in the attack.

According to the statement, the militants were also responsible for the deadly attack on a bus carrying Christians in Minya governorate in May.

On 3 November, the Daesh-affiliated Ansar Al-Islam group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack in Wahat.

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