The Ministry of Interior issued a statement on Thursday afternoon clarifying the details of security forces’ raid on an alleged ‘terrorist cell’ on Thursday at dawn.
According to the ministry, one suspect was killed and was identified by the ministry as a Muslim Brotherhood leader named Ammar Mohamed Abdul Aleem. Four police officers were injured in the process.
The ministry clarified that the clashes took place in Al-Harameen Street in Al-Salam city. “The suspects belong to an armed wing of the Muslim Brotherhood. The raid was conducted following approval by the High State Security Prosecution,” read the statement.
No other suspects were mentioned. The police said that during the raid an exchange of fire took place. The ministry’s statement also said that firearms were found next to the suspect’s body.
The statement comes as an update to earlier reported news that the clashes took place in the nearby Gesr El-Suez area, located in the neighbourhood of Heliopolis, according to state media, which cited an unnamed security source at the Cairo Security Directorate.
The news had also reported that members of the cell were reportedly killed during the raid. State media did not mention the number of members involved in the attack. Local media, however, cited one to three casualties.
Security forces carried out a raid on an apartment owned by the cell members. The security forces moved in based on information that members were planning terrorist attacks. According to the state’s official narrative, the suspects opened fire on security forces and the gunfire exchange lasted for at least 30 minutes.
Security officials said a large amount of weapons had been found in the apartment.
Gesr El-Suez witnessed a bomb go off on 28 October, in which one citizen was killed and another injured.
National Security arrested five takfirists (those who follow an extremist Islamic ideology) accused of detonating a bomb on Friday on Gesr El-Suez Street, also known as Suez Bridge, in Heliopolis, according to a statement released by the Interior Ministry on Sunday.
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