Suicide bomber, gunmen launch attacks across Egypt

Suspected Islamist gunmen launched a string of attacks against Egyptian security forces across the country on Monday, a day after more than 50 were killed in protests against the military-backed government.

The Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim told the Associated Press that the attack on a security headquarters in the southern Sinai Peninsula was the work of a suicide bomber.

The suicide bombing in Sinai’s al-Tor town, close to the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh, killed three policemen and injured around 50.

Ibrahim also said Islamist militants aim to “distract” and cause instability. He said: “we are at war with them, and they are in their last gasp.”

Meanwhile, in the northeastern city of Ismailia, five soldiers were killed when gunmen opened fire on them while they were sitting in a car at a checkpoint, according to Reuters.

In Cairo, unknown assailants fired rocket propelled grenades at communication satellite dishes damaging one, security officials told Agence France-Presse.

The officials said one of the rockets left a 25 centimeter (nine inch) breach in a satellite dish used for international phone calls. It is not yet known if the attacks are related to Sunday’s protests, in which clashes between rival factions killed 53 people and left 271 wounded.

Meanwhile, suspected militants killed six Egyptian soldiers on Monday near the Suez Canal, Reuters reported.

On Sunday supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood were killed in clashes with security forces and political opponents. The day was one of the bloodiest since the overthrow of Islamist President Mohammad Mursi in July.

The Brotherhood denies the military’s charges that it incites violence and says it has nothing to do with militant activity, but further confrontations may shake Egypt this week, with Mursi’s supporters calling for more protests.

(With AFP, Reuters and Associated Press)