Update: 2 tourists killed in Hurghada stabbing

Two tourists were killed and four others were injured on Friday after an assailant stabbed them with a knife at a holiday resort in the Rea Sea city of Hurghada, according to several media reports.

There are conflicting reports regarding the nationalities of the deceased tourists. Citing anonymous security sources, the privately-owned Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper claimed they were Ukrainian, while Reuters reported that they were German, adding that two of the injured were Czech nationals.

“Security forces in the Red Sea directorate have apprehended an individual who had assaulted a number of tourists with a melee weapon, a knife, as they were on the beach of one of Hurghada’s hotels in the afternoon of Friday 14 July,” read a statement published by the Interior Ministry. “This has resulted in the injury of 6 female tourists of different nationalities, and they have been taken to the hospital to receive treatment.”

“This person infiltrated the private beach by swimming from the neighboring public beach,” added the statement.

Egypt has been battling militant attacks targeting security forces, copts and tourists since former president Mohamed Morsi was ousted in 2013 in the aftermath of popular protests against the Muslim Brotherhood rule.

Hurghada’s Bella Vista Hotel was the scene of a stabbing attack in January 2016, resulting in the deaths of two European tourists and injuring others.