Militant group claims Egypt police HQ bombing

A militant group based in Egypt’s restive Sinai Peninsula has claimed responsibility for a deadly car bomb attack on a police headquarters north of the capital, Cairo.

A powerful explosion ripped through the security headquarters in the city of Mansoura, 110 kilometers (70 miles) north of Cairo, during the early hours of Tuesday, killing 15 people.

The group, calling itself Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, said in a Wednesday statement that the attack was carried out in response to what it called the “apostate regime’s war on Islamic sharia, its shedding of Muslim blood and violation of our women’s and sisters’ honor.”

The group also called on soldiers and policemen to leave their posts “to preserve their religion and lives.”

According to Egyptian security officials, around 140 people were also injured in the car bomb blast which has been the deadliest such attack since the ouster of former president, Mohamed Morsi, in July.

Ansar Beit al-Maqdis had previously claimed responsibility for bomb attacks in Sinai and the attempted assassination of Egyptian Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim in Cairo in September.

An investigation has been launched into the deadly explosion.

Officials in Egypt have said that there are links between the Sinai militants and Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement. However, they have given no proof.

Meanwhile, the Brotherhood has condemned the bombing, describing it as a “direct attack on the unity of the Egyptian people.” The group has also called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

Muslim Brotherhood also says it is committed to peaceful demonstrations to reinstate Morsi and blames the military-backed government for the violence.