In Egypt, at least six people have been killed and 100 wounded in four bomb blasts in the capital, Cairo. The city’s security forces are said to have been the main target. The attacks come as the country prepares to mark the third anniversary of the 2011 unrest that toppled long time leader Hosni Mubarak.
Three explosions within hours of each other - Cairo has never in recent history - endured such a sustained attack. The targets included a police station near the Giza pyramids...and a security checkpoint. But the deadliest blast was here - outside police headquarters in central Cairo...by a suspected suicide bomber.
"Boom, we thought it was the end of days. Then we were shocked it was the security headquarters. Where is the security at this location? Few days ago we were building that walls to protect this place, the bomb blew all this away."
Egypt’s interior minister, who escaped a bomb attack last year, has urged people to defy the bombers.
"All our plans for the celebrations on the 25th of January are continuing. People should not be afraid. They must take the streets. They will reach a point that will make it impossible for them to live among the people in Egypt." said Mohamed Ibrahim, Egyptian Interior Minister.
Militant group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis claimed it was behind the attack. It claimed responsibility for last month’s deadly car bombing in the northern city of Mansoura. But many people blame the Muslim Brotherhood - the Islamist group that’s been suppressed and banned following the ousting of President Mohamed Morsi six months ago. The Brotherhood had been planning protests on Friday - and for the next 18 days. Angry residents vowed to stop them.
In this area of Giza, it is accustomed that every week the Muslim brotherhood and their supporters would take the streets for protests. But after the explosions resident of the area didn’t allow them to do their usual rally and they chased them with stones from both sides, until security forces came to maintain security in the region.
"We used to let them protest because they were peaceful but now they are killing our officers. They are killing the army, My sons are in the army. When I find my son coming back dead from his army service how can I support Morsi. I want them wiped out of the country."
Clashes have reportedly broken between Brotherhood supporters and security forces in at least three cities. The Brotherhood has condemned the Cairo bombings. It says, quote, "We hold the interior ministry and the bloody coup responsible for the blood of these martyrs… and soon vengeance will come."
