Explosive device in Beni Suef car kills 3, injures at least 2 others

An explosive device being transported in a car detonated prematurely on Saturday, reportedly killing three of the would-be bombers and injuring at least another two passersby. This incident is reported to have taken place in the Upper Egyptian city of Beni Suef, over 130 km south of Cairo.

Citing police officials from Beni Suef, the state-owned Al-Akhbar news portal claimed that the three would-be bombers were members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Al-Akhbar also reported that three passersby were injured in the explosion. 

On Saturday morning, a press release posted on the Ministry of Interior's official webpage initially claimed four casualties including "two elements of the Brotherhood's terrorist organization," a 38-year-old man who had died, and a 30-year-old man accompanying him who had been injured in the explosion, along with two passersby. 

However, an update published later in the day by Al-Akhbar reported that three "Brotherhood terrorists" had died as a result of this premature explosion. Two reportedly died in the car, while a third would-be bomber died after being hospitalized.

As of Saturday afternoon, the Muslim Brotherhood's spokesperson had not officially responded to this specific accusation of terrorism leveled against them. 

However, in an online statement published by the outlawed group on Saturday, spokesperson Mohamed Montaser claimed that "peaceful action is an essential constant of the group's strategy, and the Brotherhood has nothing to do with ongoing violence in Egypt today."

Quoting Beni Suef's security director, Al-Akhbar reported that the explosive device was accidentally triggered while being transported in yellow car as it was being driven over a bridge spanning the Nile River. A bomb squad, firefighters and ambulances were deployed in response to this explosion.

The privately owned ONA news agency reported that three would-be bombers were killed in the blast, one of whom was identified, while the identities of the other two remain unknown. 

ONA reported that two pedestrians, a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old, were injured.

All media outlets covering this development reported that the fatal blast was the result of a "primitive explosive device" or a "homemade bomb." 

Police and forensic units are still reported to be investigating this fatal incident.