Two armed men were killed earlier this month in an anti-terror operation conducted by Egyptian security forces in Cairo, the country’s Interior Ministry said.
The raid, which was carried out on July 7, also resulted in the death of one civilian and injury to a police officer during clashes between the suspects and police.
A video of the operation and the exchange of gunfire was broadcast by the ministry for the first time on Sunday.
Following the raid on their hideout in Giza’s Bulaq Dakrour district, the two suspects opened fire on security forces, the ministry said, adding that the pair were killed by police shooting back.
The civilian who was killed was a passer-by. The clash and pursuit of the suspects took place in a residential area.
The ministry said the suspects belonged to Harakat Sawa'ed Misr, or the Arms of Egypt Movement, a militant organisation that has been linked to attacks on police and officials supportive of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
The group is an armed wing of the now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
The ministry said the group, which it accused of planning new attacks on “security and financial agencies”, had been under surveillance for weeks.
The government has classified both Hasm and the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organisations since the ousting of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
The operation happened the day before a video attributed to Hasm surfaced on social media on July 8, marking their return after years of absence.
The video showed armed men conducting military drills in a desert environment, accompanied by a statement pledging to resume operations in Egypt.
The group claimed that Egypt “cannot remain neutral or silent”, a reference to Israel’s war on Gaza. It reiterated a prevailing criticism of the current Egyptian regime that it has not done enough to prevent Israel killing more than 55,000 civilians in the war, despite being deeply involved in mediation efforts.
After years of staying quiet, Hasm declared in its video that it had “regained its strength”.
The video led to widespread debate, with some analysts questioning its authenticity and others scrutinising its timing.
Two of Egypt’s most prominent fact-checking platforms, Matsada2sh and Sahih Masr, issued analyses of the video.
Matsada2sh said it could not prove the video originated on any of Hasm’s social media platforms. Sahih Masr’s analysis said different shots in the video resembled Egypt’s western desert, while others depicted parts of Libya.
Some analysts pointed out that parts of the footage resembled scenes from a 2017 Hasm video, only with updated captions and statements. Others said it was filmed in Syria.
Al Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism condemned the video, labelling it a “desperate attempt” to undermine Egypt’s security and stability.
The observatory argued it recycled older footage, describing it as propaganda aimed at boosting the group’s image despite its diminished capabilities in recent years.
Hasm has claimed responsibility for several high-profile attacks in Egypt, including the assassination of national security officer Ibrahim Azazi and the attempted assassination of former Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa.
The group’s violent activities peaked between 2014 and 2019, with their involvement in a 2019 Cairo car bombing that killed 20 people.
Though largely inactive in recent years due to intensified government crackdowns, the group’s re-emergence through the July 8 video has reignited concerns over domestic security.
The Interior Ministry has accused Hasm and the larger Muslim Brotherhood of attempting to destabilise the country and attacking critical infrastructure.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
WORLD CUP SQUAD
Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Angelo Mathews, Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Jeevan Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep
RESULT
Kolkata Knight Riders 169-7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals 144-4 (20 ovs)
Kolkata win by 25 runs
Next match
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders, Friday, 5.30pm
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Racecard
5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More coverage from the Future Forum
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
RESULT
Manchester City 1 Sheffield United 0
Man City: Jesus (9')
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Pathaan
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Siddharth%20Anand%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shah%20Rukh%20Khan%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20John%20Abraham%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
The specs: 2018 Maserati Ghibli
Price, base / as tested: Dh269,000 / Dh369,000
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 355hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.9L / 100km
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
The five pillars of Islam
More on animal trafficking
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
