Dahab, Egypt Bombing
The Dahab Bombing occurred on April 24, 2006, in the popular Egyptian resort town of Dahab, located on the Sinai Peninsula by the Gulf of Aqaba. At approximately 7:15 p.m., three bombs detonated in close succession along a busy pedestrian walkway, resulting in at least 23 fatalities and numerous injuries. The attacks targeted popular establishments, including the Nelson Restaurant and the Aladdin Café, occurring during a time when the area was bustling with tourists celebrating Coptic Easter and the ancient spring festival, Sham el Nessim.
This incident marked at least the third bombing aimed at tourist destinations in the Sinai, following earlier attacks in Taba and Sharm El Sheik, and has been linked to Islamist fundamentalist groups known for targeting the tourism industry in Egypt. The Egyptian government quickly responded by arresting several suspects, though no group immediately claimed responsibility for the Dahab bombing. The attack raised concerns about its impact on Egypt's tourism sector, which is a vital source of revenue and foreign currency, and highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the Egyptian government in maintaining stability amid threats to its tourism-dependent economy.
Dahab, Egypt Bombing
Date: April 24, 2006.
Place: Dahab, Egypt (Sinai peninsula).
Incident: Starting at 7:15 p.m. three bombs exploded in close succession along a crowded pedestrian walkway in the Gulf of Aqaba resort, popular with back-packers and scuba divers. The initial casualty count was 23 dead and "scores" wounded.
Context: The bombing was at least the third directed at tourist resorts on Egypt's Sinai peninsula. The first came in October 2004, followed by suicide bombings on July 23, 2005. The Dahab attack coincided with the anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from the Sinai in 1982, part of the Egyptian-Israeli peace agreement.
Known or presumed perpetrators: No organized group immediately claimed responsibility for the Dahab bombing; the earlier attacks were blamed on local Islamist fundamentalist groups.
Impact: The tourism industry is important to the economy of Egypt in general, and the area about the Gulf of Aqaba, on the Sinai peninsula, in particular. Continued and repeated attacks on tourists, long a feature of Islamist fundamentalist groups active on the Egyptian mainland, could pose a costly threat to that industry.
Contents
The Incident
Starting at approximately 7:15 p.m. three bombs hidden in backpacks exploded along a busy strip of shops and restaurants in the Egyptian resort town of Dahab. Initial news reports put the death toll at about 23, with "scores" wounded. Ambulances from as far as Cairo, a six-hour drive away, ferried the wounded to hospitals.
The first explosion hit the Nelson Restaurant. Within five minutes two other bombs exploded near the Aladdin Café and the Ghazala supermarket.
On the day after the bombing Egyptian officials said the bombs appeared to have been set off by timers, rather than by suicide bombers or via remote control.
The attacks came on a day when the resort town, long popular with scuba divers and low-budget backpacker tourists, was packed with visitors, some of whom were celebrating the Coptic Easter and some marking the ancient Egyptian spring festival of Sham el Nessim.
Perpetrators/Suspects
No organization immediately claimed responsibility for the Dahab bombing, but earlier attacks against tourist sites on Egypt's Sinai peninsula were claimed by local Islamist fundamentalist groups. The day after the bombings an Egyptian security official announced the arrest of ten men suspected of being involved in the attacks, but offered no further details.
Broader Impact
The Dahab attack appeared aimed at the government in Cairo, and in particular at the lucrative tourist business at Sinai resorts on the Gulf of Aqaba. The resorts have long been popular with Israelis and with European tourists, among others, and thus are an important source of foreign currency earnings. Observers initially suggested that continued terrorist attacks could dry up tourist spending in the area, as well as posing an embarrassing and potentially serious challenge to the stability of the government in Cairo.
The government of President Hosni Mubarak has long been one of the strongest regional allies of the U.S. War on Terror-as well as a target of Islamist fundamentalists.
History/Background
Tourism is traditionally an important source of revenue for Egypt-as well as a target for Islamist fundamentalists aligned with the Egyptian Brotherhood. In the immediate vicinity of Dahab earlier attacks included:
- July 23, 2005, Sharm El Sheik: Three suicide bombers set off explosions near hotels and an outdoor pedestrian mall, killing 64 people.
- Oct. 7, 2004, Taba: A bomb kills 30 and injures about 160 at a Hilton Hotel in Taba, 120 miles north of Sharm el Sheik and just across the Israeli border. The explosion collapses a 10-story wing of the hotel.
- Oct. 7, 2004, Ras Shitan: Two hours after the Hilton hotel bombing two bombs explode near Ras Shitan, a camping area near Nuweiba, south of Taba. Four people die in the blast.
Bibliography
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Cope, Peggy. "Turning on a Dime." Travel Agent, July 11, 2005, p. 6.
Gauch, Sarah. "Terror Attack That Cost Egypt Billions Now Costs Militants Support of People." Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 17, 1997, p. 7.
Kadlec, Daniel, et al. "Terrorism in Egypt," Time Canada, Aug. 1, 2005, p. 5.
Murphy, Dan. "The Rise of a Jihadi Suicide Culture," Christian Science Monitor, July 25, 2005, p. 1.
Shaddid, Anthony. "Egypt Probe Seeks Ties to 2004 Blasts," Washington Post, July 25, 2005.