55 policemen killed in shootout near Cairo, say Eyptian officials

A shootout near Cairo led to the death of nearly 55 policemen, including 20 officers and 34 conscripts, said Egyptian security officials. The shootout occurred during a raid on a militant hideout near the city.

The officials said on Saturday that the exchange of fire took place late on Friday in the al-Wahat al-Bahriya area in Giza governorate, about 135 kilometers from the capital after security services moved in.

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The officials say the death toll could increase. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. Egypt’s Interior Ministry issued a statement on the raid late on Friday but didn’t provide a death toll. 

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