Egypt police raid Hasm hideouts in al-Fayoum

Egyptian police on Sunday (July 23rd) killed eight Hasm militants in a raid in al-Fayoum, and arrested five others during raids on two other hideouts the group reportedly had been using to plan attacks.

The raids came in response to intelligence that indicated Hasm leaders had been recruiting and training youth in a desert area of al-Fayoum governorate, the interior ministry said in a statement.

"The group was trying to train its new young elements in the use of various types of weapons, self-defence, and phone and communications security to prepare them for conducting a series of terrorist operations," it said.

Hasm has stepped up its recruitment of youth in the wake of a recent crackdown on its elements that has led to the arrest of some militants and the death of others in confrontations with the security forces, the ministry said.

"After locating a training camp in the desert area of al-Fayoum governorate and receiving a warrant from the High State Security Prosecution, a security force raided the camp," the ministry statement said.

"However, when it approached, the force was fired at, prompting it to respond to the source of fire," the statement added.

"Eight Hasm elements -- Nader Ahmed Ezzat Abdul Ghaffar Ibrahim, Mohammed Awwad Mohammed Hanafi al-Shalqani, Mohammed Gamal Adli Radhwan, Islam Ahmed Suleiman Mohammed, Ahmed Abdel Fattah Ahmed Juma, Abdul Rahman Abdul Moeti Mustafa Mohammed, Omar Adel Mohammed Abdulbaqi and Mohammed Radhi Ismail Mohammed -- were killed," it confirmed.

Confiscated weapons

"Four machine guns, one birdshot rifle, one 9-millimetre pistol, an amount of ammunition, bullet shells, subsistence items (packed and preserved foods), some shooting training tools, two motorcycles and some water and oil derivatives containers also were seized," the ministry statement said.

"At the same time, the security forces raided two other hideouts in the Giza and Sharqiya governorates used by Hasm elements for holding meetings to prepare and plan terrorist operations," it added.

During these raids, the security forces "arrested five elements and found documents showing the group's future plans and operations", the ministry said.

"The successive blows which the group has suffered will destabilise it and undermine its elements' trust in their armed capabilities and in protection provided at these camps," said military expert Maj. Gen. Ayman Hob Adin.

This will make young men avoid joining the group, he told Al-Mashareq.

The National Security Agency has been tracking Hasm's movements and has collected a lot of information regarding their whereabouts, he said.

This information has enabled the police to draw up plans "which have succeeded in targeting the group's hideouts and training camps", he added, noting that this will limit terrorist operations and hasten Hasm's demise.