By Abdel-Rahman Hussein
AL-ARISH: A fallout between representatives of two National Democratic Party candidates resulted in several shootings in North Sinai, where elections were marred with tribal tension rather than tension between political parties.
Hussein Salama Abu Zerei was shot on Sunday in Al-Khansaa poll station, a village next to Sheikh Zowayed, after an argument erupted between representatives of two NDP candidates Fayez Abu Harb and Suleiman Arada.
Abu Zerei was taken to Al-Arish General Hospital. By Sunday evening he was in a critical condition.
Abu Zerei was one of the supporters of Abu Harb, who is a member of the Rishayat tribe, while Arada is from the Sawarkeh tribe.
Clashes ensued after representatives of one of the candidates tore up documents of the other candidate, which led to a shootout, leaving Abu Zerei injured.
In retaliation, supporters of Abu Harb descended in a convoy of about seven trucks on Sheikh Zowayed Girls Secondary School, a poll station where Arada has strong support, and fired at the poll station, according to eye witnesses. Gun shots are visible on the poll station’s wall as well as the school’s building.
Earlier, more clashes in Ahmed Orabi School in Al-Arish resulted in the injury of one man.
Security was light, with officers mostly staying inside polling stations.
Elections in North Sinai were marred by vote buying and selling, and generally attracting a low voter turnout.
Daily News Egypt witnessed a man attempting to sell 17 votes to the Tagammu Party candidate.
This story was changed at 8 pm for a correction: Abu Zerei wasn’t dead as reported earlier. He is alive at the hospital but in a critical condition.
