DFA Tells Filipinos In Egypt Be Vigilant After Suicide Bombing Near Construction Site Foiled

11 August 2018 – The Department of Foreign Affairs is urging Filipinos in Egypt to exercise caution after authorities there foiled a suicide bombing attempt near the site of a petrochemical plant that employs almost a thousand Filipino construction workers.

We have just been informed by the Philippine Embassy in Cairo that all the Filipinos working in the plant are safe and that the only casualty in the incident that took place past noon on Saturday was the alleged suicide bomber.

According to Ambassador to Cairo Leslie Baja the target of the attack appeared to be a Coptic church in Shoubra in Qalyubia Governorate about 100 kilometers from the Egyptian capital, where the country’s largest petrochemical plant is being constructed.

Ambassador Baja said the Embassy remains in touch with the Filipino workers who reported that the plant was placed on lockdown immediately after the suicide bomber prematurely detonated himself some 250 meters from the church.

Ambassador Baja said operations at the Korean-run construction site have returned to normal but additional security measures have been put in place. END