In the town of Abnoub in southern Assiut, a peaceful summer night changed to chaos when unknown assailants opened fire on a pedestrian area. Reports describe at least 8 people killed and 5 with severe injuries as a result of one of the most violent urban shootings recently seen in the area.
Assailants travelling in a black Cherokee SUV arrived at an area known as Al Central Street—normally a lively pedestrian area at night with plenty of people shopping or visiting with friends—when they opened fire on pedestrians who had been enjoying themselves. After only a few seconds, there were now screams, people lying on the ground, and the remaining population of the town was running away in fear; it had gone from a nice, quiet neighborhood into one filled with panic and confusion.
As stated by several witnesses, the attack was “fast, well-planned, and terrifying.” Some witnesses thought the gunfire was fireworks at first. Many videos were posted on social media after the event, showing groups of people in panic trying to find their loved ones, as well as ambulances and police vehicles making their way through crowd-locked streets.
Immediately after the attack occurred, Egyptian security forces closed off the site and launched a major investigation to find the assailants. Assistance has been requested for victims’ bodies to be taken to the morgue while investigators search through the crime scene, interview witnesses, and try to determine what motivated the incident. As of Tuesday morning, there is still no answer to the question of motive.
Once again, this incident has focused attention on the difficulties of maintaining security throughout Upper Egypt. There have always been many problems with security in Upper Egypt—organized crime, local dispute resolution, and revenge killings—despite many years of strengthening security at the national level. The attack occurred in Assiut—one of Egypt’s longest inhabited regions—which is mostly known for its rich Pharaonic history and importance as a strategic site on the Nile River. The brutality of this attack has come as an even greater shock to the people of Assiut.
As families mourn the loss of their loved ones and hospitals strive to save the wounded, a pressing question lingers in the streets of Assiut: who perpetrated these acts of violence and for what reason? Until the authorities provide an answer to this question, the people of Assiut, a city known for its ability to endure through adversity, will continue to live in fear.
