Posted: Monday, August 19, 2013 9:00 am
Islamic militants on Monday ambushed two mini-buses carrying off-duty policemen in the northern region of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, killing 25 of them execution-style in a brazen daylight attack that deepens the turmoil roiling the country and underscores the volatility of the strategic region.
The killings, which took place near the border town of Rafah, came a day after 36 detainees were killed in clashes with security forces. In all, nearly 1,000 people have been killed in clashes between security forces and supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi since last Wednesday.
Tensions between the sides have been high since the army ousted Morsi in a July 3 coup, following days of protests by millions of Egyptians demanding the Islamist president leave and accusing him of abusing his powers.
But Morsi's supporters have fought back, staging demonstrations demanding that he be reinstated and denouncing the military coup.
How events play out in Cairo could largely determine whether Egypt can step back from the brink of chaos. It will also have significant bearing on the debate playing out in Washington over whether the U.S. government should end the lifeline of financial aid to Egypt's military. Of the $1.5 billion in aid the U.S. sends Egypt every year, $1.3 billion is earmarked for the country's security forces.
Information from CBS News contributed to this report.
Posted in Local news on Monday, August 19, 2013 9:00 am.
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