TUESDAY 6 AUGUST 2019

World news in brief

Extinguishers are used on fires near the National Cancer Institute in Cairo (EPA)

Car bomb wreaks devastation in Egyptian capital

A car packed with explosives being driven to carry out an attack collided with other vehicles and exploded
in central Cairo, killing at least 20 people in the deadliest attack in the Egyptian capital for over two years.
The blast went off Sunday night on the busy Corniche boulevard along the Nile, setting other cars on fire
and injuring at least 47. It damaged Egypt’s main cancer hospital nearby, shattering parts of the facade and
some rooms inside, forcing the evacuation of dozens of patients.

Authorities had initially said the explosion was caused by a multi-vehicle accident. But yesterday, the
Interior Ministry acknowledged that a car bomb was involved. It accused a militant group known as Hasm,
which has links to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, saying it was moving the car to carry out an attack
elsewhere. The ministry did not say what the intended target was.

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi called it a “terrorist incident” in a tweet, expressing condolences for the

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