The Dahab bombings of 24 April 2006 were three bomb attacks on the Egyptian resort city of Dahab, in the Sinai Peninsula. The resort town is popular with Western tourists and Egyptians alike during the holiday season.
| 2006 Dahab bombings | |
|---|---|
| Part of Terrorism in Egypt | |
| Location | Dahab, Egypt |
| Date | 24 April 2006 7:15 pm (UTC+3) |
| Target | Resort, Nelson Restaurant, Aladdin Café and Ghazala Market |
| Deaths | 23 |
| Injured | ≈80 |
| Perpetrators | Tawhid al-Jihad |
At about 19:15 Egypt summer time on 24 April 2006 — a public holiday in celebration of Sham el Nessim (Spring festival) — a series of bombs exploded in tourist areas of Dahab, a resort located on the Gulf of Aqaba coast of the Sinai Peninsula. One blast occurred in or near the Nelson restaurant, one near the Aladdin café (both being on both sides of the bridge), and one near the Ghazala market.
These explosions followed other bombings elsewhere in the Sinai Peninsula in previous years: in Sharm el-Sheikh on 23 July 2005 and in Taba on 6 October 2004.
Casualties
edit| Country | Number |
|---|---|
 Egypt
|
18 |
 Germany
|
1 |
 Lebanon
|
1 |
 Russia
|
1 |
 Switzerland
|
1 |
 Hungary
|
2 |
| Total | 24 |
At least 24 people were killed, mostly Egyptians, but including a German, Lebanese, Russian, Swiss, and 2 Hungarians.[1] Around 80 people were injured, including tourists from Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, South Korea, United Kingdom and the United States.[2]
Responsibility
editThe governor of South Sinai reported that the blasts might have been suicide attacks, but later Habib Adly, the interior minister of Egypt said that the devices were nail bombs set off by timers, and Egyptian TV also reported that the bombs were detonated remotely. Later reports suggested that the blasts may indeed have been suicide attacks, set off by Bedouins, as in earlier attacks in the Sinai.[3] According to a report by the International Crisis Group, the Dahab bombings appear to have been targeted at the Mubarak government and stem in part from a "deep resentment" of the local people of the northern Sinai over discrimination in "jobs and housing" by governmental programs.[4]
Egyptian security officials have attributed the attacks to an Islamic terror organisation called Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Wedemen, Ben; Faraj, Caroline; Zippori, Michal (2006-04-26). "Egypt ties Dahab blasts to other attacks". CNN. Archived from the original on 2006-06-24. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
- ^ "Dahab blasts pinned on suicide bombers". Mail & Guardian. 2006-04-25. Archived from the original on 2006-12-13. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
- ^ Nahmias, Roee (2006-04-26). "Dahab bombers were Sinai Bedouin". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
Local knowledge suggests that the attacks were in response to the Government's crack down on the opium trade, which subseuntly destroyed the income and livelyhoods of the northern bedouins.
- ^ "EGYPT'S SINAI QUESTION". ICG. 30 January 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-02-08.
The government has not sought to integrate Sinai's populations into the nation through a far-sighted program responding to their needs and mobilising their active involvement. Instead, it has promoted the settlement of Nile Valley migrants, whom it has systematically favoured, while discriminating against the local populations in jobs and housing in the north and in the rapid development of tourist enclaves (for Egyptians as well as internationals) in the south. These developments have offered scant opportunities to locals and often have been at their expense (notably with regard to land rights), provoking deep resentment.
- ^ Al Shafey, Mohammed (2006-04-29). "Dahab Bombers Inspired by Al-Qaeda". Asharq Al-Awsat. Archived from the original on 2006-10-27. Retrieved 2006-04-30.