A newly-emerged militant group with ties to al-Qaida claimed on Friday responsibility for the October 21 attack in Egypt’s Western Desert that killed at least 16 policemen. In a statement, the group calling itself Ansar al-Islam (Arabic for Supporters of Islam) said that the attack marked the beginning of a holy war against the Egyptian state. “We have begun our jihad with the battle of the Lion’s Den in the Bahariya Oasis area on the borders of Cairo and were victorious against the enemy’s campaign,” the statement read. The statement also said that Abu Hatem al-Din Abd al-Hamid, who is suspected by authorities having been involved in the attack, was one of the group’s senior leaders. Earlier this week he was killed in a targeted strike by the Egyptian Air Force. Security sources speaking to Reuters on conditions of anonymity said that Abd al-Hamid was the deputy of Hesham al-Ashmawy, an Egyptian special forces officer turned jihadist. An Egyptian National Security official said in 2015 that Ashmawy “is the most dangerous terrorist we face”. Ashmawy is known for his allegiance to al-Qaida, which, if Ansar al-Islam’s claim of responsibility for…
Obscure al-Qaida-Linked Militant Group Claims Responsibility for Wahat Attack
November 4, 2017
