The story comes from DAWN.
Bomb attack in Cairo kills six, including three policemen
CAIRO: A bomb attack killed six people, including three policemen, on Thursday near a road leading to the pyramids in the Cairo suburb of Giza, security sources said.
The bomb exploded as the police arrived in their vehicles in front of a building where suspected militants were hiding, the sources said. Thirteen people were wounded.
The Interior Ministry issued a statement saying the bomb had been planted by Muslim Brotherhood militants and went off when security forces tried to raid the building.
The deputy governor of Giza, Alaa Harass, says two of the wounded in Thursday's explosion are in a critical condition.
The blast comes days before the January 25 anniversary of the 2011 uprising, which officials fear may be marked by protests and unrest.
Militants have stepped up attacks on Egyptian soldiers and police since the army toppled president Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013 after mass protests against his rule.
The attacks have dealt a serious blow to Egypt's vital tourism sector.
Egyptian police have been questioning residents and searching apartments at more than 5,000 homes in central Cairo as a “precautionary measure” to prevent street protests on the upcoming anniversary of the January 25 Arab Spring uprising, security officials said Thursday.
The ten-day search campaign was based on surveillance and intelligence gathered over months and focusing on young, pro-democracy activists inside and outside the country, including foreigners, one of the senior officials said.
“We are very concerned and will not allow protests,” he said, speaking, as his colleague did, on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.
“These movements are aimed at polarizing society and mobilizing the masses against the government,” he added.
Security forces nationwide are bracing themselves for the anniversary of the 2011 revolt that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.
Officials, including President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, have voiced concern over attempts to mark the anniversary with new protests and security forces have arrested a number of activists accused of planning demonstrations.
The security presence on the streets of Cairo has been greater than in previous years, when authorities also feared anniversary protests.
The roundup of activists and the closure of several cultural venues in Cairo considered by authorities to be possible harbors for dissenting views also marked an escalation on previous pre-emptive clampdowns by security services.
Social media users have been particularly targeted this year, with several people affected by the roundups saying that police are asking to inspect Facebook and Twitter accounts to track acquaintances and gauge political affiliations.
Earlier this month, authorities arrested three people who administered over 20 Facebook pages, accusing them of using the networking website to incite against state institutions.
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