Train delayed in Egypt's Beni Suef after Molotov cocktail attack

Ahram Online , Tuesday 26 May 2015

Police opened fire at the attackers, who reportedly escaped

train
A train travels through a rural area in Egypt (Photo: Al-Ahram)

A train was damaged when Molotov cocktails were thrown at it in the Egyptian city of Beni Suef on Tuesday morning, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported.

The overnight Aswan-to-Cairo train had made a stop at Beni Suef station in central Egypt when Molotov cocktails were thrown at it, causing some damage.

Al-Ahram reported that police opened fire at the assailants who were throwing the flammable projectiles from a nearby pedestrian bridge, but they managed to escape.

Firefighters arrived at the scene and the train continued its trip after an hour's delay. 

No casualties were reported.

The reasons behind the attack remain unclear.

While most militant attacks are aimed at the security forces, bombings or other attacks directed against infrastructure and transportation targets are not uncommon.

In March, a bomb was defused by police at Beni Suef station, causing delays on the line.

Also in March, a bomb exploded at Kom Ombo railway station in Upper Egypt, leaving no casualties.  

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