Three terrorists were shot today near the entrance to the ancient Egyptian temple of Karnak in Luxor following a failed attempt to carry out an attack at the popular tourist site. Early reports suggest that police killed at least two of the three terrorists, including a suicide bomber whose explosive was detonated in the assault. It is not immediately clear how many bystanders were hurt.
The attack comes a week after gunmen on motorcycles killed two tourism and antiquities police officers near the pyramids of Giza. Although no group has claimed responsibility, Islamic militants are suspected to be behind both attacks.
Along with the Great Pyramids at Giza, the 4,000-year-old Karnak temple complex is one of Egypt’s most popular tourist destinations in a country heavily dependent on tourist revenue. In 2014, the Guardian newspaper reported that Egypt’s tourism revenue had fallen by 54% in the wake of the uprising of 2011 and that money generated from entrance to ancient monuments was down by 95%.
Sadly this is not the first Egyptian archaeological site to be targeted by militant groups intent on cutting off the revenue stream generated by tourism. In 1997, 62 people, including 58 foreign nationals, were killed at the temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari.
