Apart from Syria and Iraq, it is often difficult to take news stories about terrorism with a grain of salt. But in Egypt, one needs to tread lightly when it comes to sifting hard facts through a cacophony of mass hysteria. In terms of security here are two of the most terrible recent updates that occurred in Egypt:
Just this month
December 9, 2016: An explosion on the Pyramid Road in Giza killed 6 police officers and injured 3 other civilians. December 11, 2016: An explosion in the Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo claimed at least 20 lives. Over 35 people were injured during this recent bombing.
Northern Sinai Insurgency
Is terrorism actively occurring in Egypt? Yes. But not within the same scale as ISIS-controlled territories in the Levant region. The regional violence that occurred in other unsafe zones in the country is a residue strife following the collapse of president Hosni Mubarak's administration in 2011. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office strictly forbids tourists from traveling to the Northern Sinai due to the current increase of lawlessness in the region.
Three No Man's Lands
Egypt has serious problems maintaining order, as with other countries in the world. Then what contributes to the stigma of Egypt as an unsafe country? It is the fact that it shares three extremely unsafe borders.
The eastern Gaza strip is still a turbulent region due to the ongoing conflict between the Israeli and Palestinian belligerents. The southern border of Sudan, the sight of the famous Abu Simbel heritage site, is demarcated as a danger zone due to the state's civil strife. The western border of Libya has also kept off limits as anarchy still ensues after its violent revolution in 2011.
Where Is Safe?
There remain three safest tourist locations in Egypt, namely: Alexandria, Luxor, and Cairo. Despite the recent bombing incident in Cairo, the nation's capital is also the most heavily guarded city in Egypt (or else the whole country collapses). Hence, it is far from being categorized as a 'traveler's red zone.'
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
