Egypt/Terrorism: armed Bedouin attack prisoner convoy on Sinai Peninsula,two policemen killed

According to Egyptian security sources, two policemen were killed near the northern city of Beir Al Abd on the Sinai Peninsula on Wednesday. The same sources indicated that four others sustained injuries as a group of Bedouin tribesmen ambushed a prisoner convoy carrying eight suspects to their court hearing.

Although it remains unclear who the prisoners are and what their crimes were, they have managed to escape. Government sources indicate that the Sinai region has been put on a high alert following the attack, adding that an operation to find the fugitives and the attackers has been launched.

Bedouin elders confirmed that several of their tribesmen have resorted to criminal activities following the harsh economic climate in the region, although it is not clear which group is behind the attack.