Five police officers dead and two injured in Beni Suef attack

Five died and two others were injured on Thursday in Eastern Saft when unknown assailants on a motorcycle opened fire on a security checkpoint in Northern Beni Suef, EgyNews reported.

A security source said police forces were searching the districts and neighboring agricultural lands and small villages where the assailants may have fled.

The state-run news portal added that Aly Abdel Latif Mohamed, Sallem Shaaban Sallem, Mohamed Saad Mohamed, and Abdel Meguid Gouda Sayed, all low ranking police officers, died during the attack. Twenty-two-year-old Sayed Hussein Abou Seree' and Mostafa Elian, two junior officers, were also injured in the drive by shooting. 

The police officer normally in charge of the checkpoint was not there at the time, state-run daily newspaper Al-Ahram reported. Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim ordered that the officer be disqualified from his job until investigations are finalized.

The families of the dead and injured officers gathered around the checkpoint after the attack, according to Al-Ahram, and the deceased were taken to Al-Wasta Hospital, while the injured were taken to Beni Suef General Hospital.

Hamdy Mostafa, head of Beni Suef's General Hospital said that two police officers, both of whom had been shot with live ammunition, arrived at the hospital earlier Thursday morning. He added that officer Abou Seree's condition is critical, as he was shot three times and is suffering from severe bleeding in the chest. As for officer Elian, his condition is stable and he is expected to give his testimony to the authorities soon.