Event Summary:
Thursday August 20, 2015 early morning Egypt’s capital Cairo was rocked by a blast at the National Security Agency building. The blast was orchestrated using a car bomb that was left at the entrance of the government building.
At least 29 people sustained injuries in the accident with Egypt’s Ministry of Health saying 27 were minor injuries. Eye witness accounts state that an unknown mad drove the ill-fated car to the scene of the blast before fleeing on a motorcycle.
Shortly after the blast, Islamic State’s Sinai Province claimed responsibility of the attack
Assessment:
Egypt’s capital Cairo at the northern suburbs of Shubra al-Kheima was characterized by a massive explosion at the National Security Agency building on early Thursday 20th August 2015. According to eye witnesses accounts an unknown man was seen leaving the car at the entrance of the building before fleeing on a motor cycle shortly before the explosion.
According to Egypt’s Ministry of health at least 29 people were injured with the majority only sustaining minor injuries. Among the injured were six police officers.
Shortly after the blast Sinai Province of the Islamic State operating from Egypt circulate messages on twitter claiming responsibility of the attack as revenge for a May, 2014 execution of 6 of their members convicted for attacks on police near Cairo.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi since his accent into power in 2011 has intensified the war against the militants trying to establish an Islamic State Caliphate in the Sinai Peninsula and conducting attacks on the security forces.
Conclusion:
The claim by the Sinai Province militants as a revenge toward the execution of their own by the Egyptian authorities comes barely a week since stringent anti-terrorism laws were enacted in Egypt by President al-Sisi.
The location of the attack is very strategic as the National Security Agency in Egypt is the country’s most feared secret police and is linked with the intense crackdown on the Sinai Province, Muslim Brotherhood as well as any other terror-link cells.
Evidently, the Islamist militants are acceding to the pressure from the Egyptian government that has been backed by the country toughest security laws in its history.
The Islamic State caliphates in the Middle East is feeling the heat of the Us-led coalition airstrikes as well as Arab League’s effort and is retreating to Northern Africa especially countries in the Maghreb and Egypt to use as a safe haven.
