Two militants and one civilian killed in Cairo anti-terror raid, Egypt says

Police officer also injured during operation

Sunday’s operation came after a video attributed to Hasm surfaced on social media on July 8, showing armed men conducting military drills. Photo: Hasm

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.

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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.