UK Cairo embassy in shutdown
Print Edition
THE British embassy in Cairo suspended public services yesterday for security reasons, an embassy spokesperson said.
The embassy declined to give more details due to the sensitive nature of the matter but said it was working with the Egyptian authorities to reopen and resume full service as soon as possible.
“The decision to suspend public services at the embassy has been taken for security reasons and is in the best interests of our staff,” the spokesperson said.
“The decision is independent of our wider travel advice for Egypt.”
It was not clear when the embassy would reopen. The British embassy website said the office of the British Consulate-General in Alexandria was operating as normal.
Egypt has been battling an Islamist insurgency that is largely centered around the Sinai Peninsula, a strategic area near the border with Israel, Gaza and the Suez Canal.
Insurgent attacks have mostly targeted Egyptian police and soldiers, killing hundreds in the past year, but Egypt’s most dangerous militant group said last week that it was behind the killing of an American oil engineer in August.
Smaller bombs also regularly explode in Cairo and the Nile Delta, usually causing limited injuries.
The British Foreign Office already advises against all travel to the volatile area of northern Sinai and all but essential travel to most of southern Sinai and to the west of Egypt, particularly near the border with Libya.
The US embassy, which is in the same area of Cairo, was open for business as usual yesterday.
However, it released a statement last week warning staff not to stray too far from their homes.
It also urged US citizens to remain alert.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
