Non-fatal injuries 100 | Location Cairo, Egypt Weapons Car bomb, Firearm | |
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Date 24 and 25 January 2014First and largest explosion at 06:30 local time Suspected perpetrators Ansar Bait al-MaqdisSoldiers of Egypt Similar December 2013 Mansour, 2009 Khan el‑Khalili bombing, August 2012 Sinai attack, 2005 Sharm El Sheikh b, 2004 Sinai bombings | ||
On 24 and 25 January 2014 a series of bombs exploded in Greater Cairo. The first four explosions occurred on the day before the anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, with the fifth coming on the anniversary itself.
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Police headquarters
The first was at the police headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, which were attacked with a large truck bomb just after 06:30 local time. CCTV caught a white truck stop at 06:29 outside the building, with the driver jumping into another car. The blast could be heard across the city, and gunfire was heard after the explosion. At least five people were killed and 75 injured. The front of the multi-storey building was badly damaged, as were the National Archives building and the Museum of Islamic Art, whose collection was severely damaged. Irina Bokova, Unesco's director-general, said: "This raises the danger of irreversible damage to the history and identity of the Egyptian people." After the explosion a large crowd gathered, some of whom sang chants against the Muslim Brotherhood, including ""The people demand the execution of the Brotherhood."
Other bombs
Three further bombs exploded in western Cairo: the first was near the Behoos Metro station in the Dokki district (two people killed), the second was at a police station near the Giza pyramids (no casualties), and the third at the Radobis cinema in Giza (one person killed).
25 January
On 25 January another bomb exploded at 07:00 local time in the Ein Shams district of eastern Cairo but there were no casualties.
Claims of responsibility
Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, a group affiliated to Al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for all the bombings, saying in a statement, "We tell our dear nation that these attacks were only the first drops of rain, so wait for what is coming up." A group called Soldiers of Egypt took responsibility for the blast near the metro station.