April 24, 2006

Bombings in Dahab

UPDATED BELOW

 

Before. Lets pray the After isn't much different.

As of this point there is no MSM reports but people on the ground are saying there were three explosions in the resort town of Dahab in Sinai.

No idea yet as to the extent of the damage or casualties but will keep updating as events unfold.

UPDATE 1
Its picked up.

 

UPDATE 2
My two cents:

A small town made up primarily of huts and famous for its diving and cannabis, Dahab is a town frequented by both Israeli and Egyptian tourists alike. With Sham El Naseem (Easter) holiday in effect, however, it would typically be filled to the brim with young Egyptian kids looking for a good time.

Also tomorrow is Sinai Liberation Day. Doubtfully a coincidence.

There could be only one mark. These terrorists have once again purposely targeted the youth of Egypt. Are we going to need yet another one of these to realize our real enemies? This time I don’t think so. This time the downfall will be great. We are going to eat these terrorist sons of bitches for breakfast.

 

-Karim Elsahy

UPDATE 3
Egyptian police also confirmed there were casualties in the blasts. Al-Jazeera reported an unknown number of dead were among the casualties.

Police officials said more than 20 ambulances and police cars were rushing to the el-Masbat section of Dahab's old city. Smoke was rising from the area.

UPDATE 4
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- Three explosions Monday night rocked the Egyptian resort city of Dahab at the height of the tourist season, killing at least 17 people and wounding more than 150 at just one hotel, according to the doctor who runs Egypt's Sinai Peninsula rescue squad.

UPDATE 5
Body count is up to 21. As I said its mainly Egyptian with at least 18. One Swiss, one Russian too. I'll be talking about it with Criss on the BBC later tonight on Up All Night.

If anyone knows of any private efforts to help the situation please email me.

UPDATE 6

 


Interior Minister Habib el-Adly put the death toll at 23, including 20 Egyptians and three foreigners. But Sinai hospital officials said Tuesday that an Egyptian man had died of his wounds, bringing the toll to 24. More than 60 people were wounded, including many Westerners.

 

My condolences to those directly affected and please give a prayer for those lost.


UPDATE 7
More Photos

 


Also, BP and I will be on with Kevin Anderson from the BBC at around 1p.m. est.

 

 

 

 

Posted by Karim Elsahy at 14:01:35 | Permanent Link | Comments (14) |
Comments
1 - Thank God you updated. I was just about to send you an email - worried that you were vacationing in Sinai.

What a crappy night. Here in Israel the TV broadcasters can't decide if they should cover Holocaust Memorial Eve or the Dahab terror attack. So we're jumping back and forth from death and gloom of six decades ago to death and gloom of today. (Comment this)

Written by: Lisa at 2006/04/24 - 15:08:06
2 - God damn it
they just refuse to leave us alone
killers (Comment this)

Written by: MeMo at 2006/04/24 - 15:17:13
3 - This is horrific and makes you want to puke all over the television news reports. If you don't mind, I'd like to link to this post of yours from my blog, as you two cents are really worth a lot. (Comment this)

Written by: Hal at 2006/04/24 - 16:44:56
4 - Memo said:

"God damn it
they just refuse to leave us alone
killers"

Exactly who are you referring to? (Comment this)

Written by: qrswave at 2006/04/24 - 22:55:09
5 - Is it a coincidence that every time a terriorist attack in Sinai is coincides with a national holiday? I do not suggest any conspiracy theory. I mean is it a message from the Egyptian Bedwins who have lost their men (children and women too according to some human rights reports) to Egyptian prisons and torture since the first terrorist attack in Taba? The number of those in these prisons without trial is said to be about 4000. Is this a kind of vendetta rather than some typical terrorist attack from terrorist groups? Or is it a combination of both groups conspired together for different reasons?
Whynot (Comment this)

Written by: Why not at 2006/04/25 - 03:40:46
6 - Karim,

My condolences to the families of the murdered innocents and wishes for speedy recovery to all the wounded.

I hope your friends and family are OK. It is a small world - in cases like this unfortunately. (Comment this)

Written by: snoopythegoon at 2006/04/25 - 11:48:39
7 - And whynot - this is not a good time for questions like these. Terrorism is terrorism, and no matter what grand goals it pursues, there is a lot of grief now. (Comment this)

Written by: snoopythegoon at 2006/04/25 - 11:50:40
8 - Lisa and Snoop, thank you and I know what you mean. Memo and Hal I feel you. (Comment this)

Written by: Karim Elsahy at 2006/04/25 - 12:18:36
9 - Snoopythegon: I believe this is the most appropriate time for these questions. "Terrorism is terrorism..." I cannot agree more with you that those criminal terrorists should be brought to justice and executed. A crime never execuses another crime. However, it is worse when it is done by the government which ought to be protecting the people. The police must not repeat its previous mistakes by arresting and torturing new innocent locals to hide its embarrassing failure and its inability to use standard police tecniques to arrest the real terrorists. It also must reach out to those aggrieved by its previous "mistakes". Otherwise, we will not leave this viscous circle. It is time for reason as much as it is time for grief. Whynot (Comment this)

Written by: Whynot at 2006/04/25 - 15:55:57
10 - My doctor just came back from Egypt after heading a travel group composed of her college alumni. She told me what a wonderful time she had & recommended that I go if I got a chance. I'm sure she said the same to everyone who asked her about her vacation.

I wonder how many people, fired up by her enthusiasm, will now think twice about going thanks to these mindless, murderous bastards.

 (Comment this)

Written by: Peter Shea at 2006/04/25 - 23:23:37
11 - the most beautiful & peaceful places i've been to, where Dahab and Nuweiba. where arabs, jews, christians, buddhists, toaists, agnostics, and so many others worked, played, danced, sang, lived, ate, swam, and relaxed together. such a feeling of warmth and welcome, a connection between all walks of life.
the ONLY place i would recomend people to go to if they ever went traveling and asked me,,,, (ME,,,, a travel agent and world traveller) where i suggest they go,,,,, and now?
i don't know what i will tell people.
i am broken up by this and my heart and thoughts go out to the business owners, the bedouins, the nomads, the travellers, the tourists, and everyone else that lives, plays and visits Dahab.
Dahab, the gold of the Sinai.
she is forever tarnished.. (Comment this)

Written by: shemesh at 2006/04/26 - 15:12:52
12 - Dahab is the place that my love for Middle East began with. It's incredible how a peaceful and magic place like this could be soaked in blood and pain. Anyway, I am sure that they will recover, though they'll still continue grieving over those who died. People in Dahab are just tough enough not to yield to those who want to make them suffer. I still recommend it to everyone and hope that I can get there soon, even though it's not going to be the same as the first time.

Still, I can't understand the statistics. News say that there were several Australians, one or two Koreans, Germans, Russians, Belorussians, Israelis and some other tourists who died. I counted, and there must be at least 18 tourists among the dead. So how come there are 20 arabs? If it's true, then I stop to see the scarcest logic in the deeds of those bastards who claim to fight for Islam against the West and kill those who are supposed to be their brothers.

Well, words won't help anything. I just hope that no one is going to be scared off. Love and peace to Dahab. (Comment this)

Written by: Maria at 2006/04/27 - 00:30:52
13 - I just want to express my love for Dahab also. I visited for a short time a while back, but it was one of my most memorable trips.

I would still go back in spite of this tragedy. We can't let "them" win, whoever they are. (Comment this)

Written by: anne at 2006/05/01 - 09:41:39
14 - I have a business in dahab and it was incredibly sad what happened. I hope tourists do not stop coming to this special place because the local economy needs it very badly to the world thanks for supporting dahab really a magical place to live (Comment this)

Written by: tota dance bar at 2006/05/21 - 11:13:03
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