Six dead, 26 wounded in suicide explosion in Egypt

Cairo, Egypt (PANA) - A suicide explosion in the Suq Sheikh Zuid area, north of Sinai, on Tuesday killed six people and injured 26, Egyptian security sources said.

"A terrorist blew himself up when security forces approached him to arrest him," the sources said.

The Egyptian Interior Ministry subsequently reported that ''while police forces were patrolling the area, a 15-year-old man blew himself up very close to the security forces, killing two officers, a police officer and three civilians, including six-year-olds.

The explosion injured 26 other people, all of whom were taken to the hospital for treatment, the ministry added.

Since the fall of the former democratically-elected President Mohamed Morsi, the Egyptian armed forces and police have been waging a major war against armed extremist groups, particularly in northern Sinai, which are violently attacking the security forces.

The Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Army and Defence Minister, General Mohamed Zaki, has stated that there will be no tolerance with those who are trying to destabilize Egypt, its borders and the sovereignty of its people.

-0- PANA YY/IN/BEH/MTA/VAO 9April2019