Deadly Cairo bomb blasts mark 3rd anniversary of Egypt uprising
25 Jan 2014
Six people were killed and a hundred wounded in four bombings in high-profile areas in Cairo yesterday, which included a suicide car bombing at the city's police headquarters.
This comes as the first major attack on the Egyptian capital as militants look to ramp up a campaign of violence following the removal of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi.
According to commentators though no group had yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, it seems to be the handiwork of Islamic extremists, who have increasingly targeted police and the military following the 3 July coup against president Morsi, who won the June 2012 election as a candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The explosions come with the country on high alert ahead of the third anniversary of the 2011 uprising that led to the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak.
Yesterday's violence started when a suicide bomber rammed a car near the Egyptian police headquarters in the heart of Cairo.
At least four people were killed in the attack which sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky. The blast ripped through buildings in the vicinity, including the renowned Museum of Islamic Art.
Meanwhile, 10 people were reportedly killed in clashes between security forces and Muslim Brotherhood supporters.
According to commentators, the multiple blasts across different parts of Cairo appeared to be a systematic plan. While the police HQ was the most significant target, a metro station was the target of another blast.
The effect of the second explosion would have been much worse, but for the fact that it was Friday, a day off in Egypt. A third bomb that went off near the Giza pyramids caused little damage and no casualties were reported.
Commentators say what was significant about the blasts was their timing, the eve of the third anniversary of the revolution which toppled Hosni Mubarak.
Though the minister of interior had repeatedly emphasised that his forces were quite ready to deal with any trouble during the anniversary, the blasts raise questions about what can actually be done by the authorities.
