A security operation in Kerdasa, Giza Governorate was launched in the early hours of Thursday by police in cooperation with the armed forces. The Ministry of Interior gave a statement, in which they said that the operation comes as "implementation of the prosecution's orders to arrest a number of terrorists and fugitives" involved in the deadly attack on the Kerdasa police station last month, which left 11 policemen dead. So far, the ministry reported the arrests of 48 wanted persons who possessed a large quantity of "automatic weapons" and "hand grenades." The Giza Deputy Director of Security, Nabil Farag, was shot dead at the beginning of the operation when security forces were reportedly heavily shot at by armed groups situated on the roofs of houses, schools and mosques in the area. Kerdasa lies close to the Giza plateau, which hosts the Giza Pyramids. Ministry spokesperson Hany Abdel Latif said on Thursday morning the operation in Kerdasa was divided into two parts: one was forming a siege around the village's desert side, which was carried out by the military, and the other was "direct confrontation with terrorists and criminals," which was carried out by special operation combat forces. He also said that security forces are continuing to move forward in the village, adding that they will not retreat before "cleansing" it of "terrorist spots." During the operation, security forces were "attacked by a terrorist" who threw a hand grenade towards them, the ministry reported. The attack left nine security men with shrapnel wounds in various parts of their bodies. Security forces shot the attacker in the foot. He was found in possession of an automatic rifle and hand grenades. Abdel Latif said: "Criminal spots like Kerdasa and Delga are among the most prominent consequences of the Brotherhood regime." Earlier this week, security forces launched another security campaign in the Upper Egypt village of Delga in the Minya Governorate, where sectarian violence had left three out of the village's five churches damaged. The interior ministry called on residents of Kerdasa to cooperate and refrain from being present at the scene of operations for their own safety.
