Update: Sources say Marina suspects killed by police are innocent

Four suspects killed by security forces near the Marina tourist resort following an attack on a police car in Dabaa, Matrouh region, are innocent civilians according to several sources.

“There was no exchange of fire during the Marina gate incident; the shooting was continuous, coming from one side, and lasted for around six or seven minutes,” Youssef, an eyewitness to the incident said.

Following an attack on a police car in Dabaa yesterday, security forces chased another car in front of Marina gate 6 in Alamein, resulting in the death of four and the injury of one police officer, state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper reported.

A statement by the Interior Ministry spokesperson Hany Abdel Latif maintained there were four “terrorists” in a car that started shooting at the checkpoint, prompting security forces to return fire, which led to the deaths of the attackers.

“Special forces cut off the road, masked men got out and they surrounded a black jeep,” Youssef said. He added that an ambulance arrived around 30 minutes later and stayed for an hour but did not transport any casualties.

Former parliamentarian Hesham al-Akary said those killed by police were innocent civilians, including two Libyan citizens, who had a similar car to that of the attackers, Al-Ahram newspaper reported.

Former Nour Party Member of Parliament in Matrouh, Abd al-Salam Ragheb, condemned the accident in a statement on his Facebook page and called for a genuine apology and further investigation.

“I strongly condemn the statement released by the Interior Ministry for calling our sons, who were treacherously killed in Alamein, terrorists and smugglers,” Ragheb said.

Latif announced that a search team comprised of national security forces in collaboration with tribal elders and “honorable citizens” in Matrouh was formed to try to identify the attackers, Al-Ahram reported.  

On Tuesday evening several sources reported an attack on a police checkpoint near the upscale Marina summer resort on the north coast of Egypt, killing a police major and four soldiers.

The Interior Minister’s assistant, Lieutenant Mostafa Darwish, said ongoing clashes led to the blocking of the Matrouh-Alamein road leading to the resort.