At least three people have died after two bombs exploded in al-Arish outside a hotel where election judges were staying

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Two bombs have exploded outside a hotel in Egypt where election judges were staying, killing at least three people and injuring 12, security and medical sources told Reuters.

The blasts on Tuesday targeted the city of al-Arish in the north of the Sinai peninsula the day after voting in the second round of Egypt’s parliamentary election had closed. At least one police officer was killed and two judges injured.



A suicide bomber tried to drive a car bomb into the hotel before security forces opened fire, causing the car to explode, they said. A second blast reportedly hit the area about 10 minutes later.



Ambulances rushed to the scene, which was sealed off by soldiers and police.



There was no immediate claim of responsibility.



Sinai Province, a branch of Islamic State based in Northern Sinai, has frequently carried out such attacks in order to undermine attempts by Egypt’s military to control the restive peninsula. It also wishes to undermine the government in Cairo.



Attacks by jihadi militants in the area have increased since the toppling of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in June 2013.



Voters across 13 districts including North Sinai went to the polls on Sunday and Monday to elect a new parliament, part of Egypt’s “roadmap to democracy” put in place by Morsi’s successor, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.



Militants have frequently targeted judges and the apparatus of state security. In May, three judges were killed in a gun attack in al-Arish as they travelled to the local courthouse.



“The military has been concerned that jihadists would try to disrupt the elections,” said Daniel Nisman, a security analyst with the Tel Aviv-based Levantine Group. “We saw a big uptick in attacks yesterday, including a couple of IED attacks east of Arish and the assassination inside Arish of a police officer.”

