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At least 30 police die in clash in Egypt's Western desert: security sources (UPDATE)

Arab World Materials 21 October 2017 03:17 (UTC +04:00)

03:17 (GMT+4) Armed militants killed at least 30 policemen in a shootout during a raid on a suspected militant hideout in Egypt’s Western desert, security sources said on Friday, Reuters reported.

A number of suspected militants were also killed and security forces are combing the area, a statement by the Interior Ministry said.

22:36 (GMT+4) At least sixteen police officers were killed in a shoot-out during a raid on a suspected militant hideout in Egypt’s Western desert, two security sources said on Friday, Reuters reported.

The sources said authorities were following a lead to an apartment thought to house eight suspected members of Hasm, a group which has claimed several attacks around the capital targeting judges and policemen since last year.

The number of dead was expected to rise, the sources said.

The suspected militants tried to flee after the exchange of fire there, the sources said, and continued to fire at a second security unit called in for backup from atop neighboring buildings.

The sources said the suspected militants also used explosive devices in the attack.

Two security sources said 8 security personnel were injured in the clashes, while another source said that four of the injured were police officers and four others were suspected militants.

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