Egypt explosion injures tourists near Giza pyramids

(CNN) — At least 14 people were injured in an explosion that targeted a tourist bus carrying 25 South African citizens, Egypt’s state-run Ahram daily reported.

A device exploded near the bus, Ahram reported, while the windshield of another vehicle was damaged. The blast took place outside the yet-to-be-opened Grand Egyptian Museum, near the Giza pyramids.

Egypt’s Minister of Tourism Rania A. Al Mashat called it a “minor explosion” in a Twitter post. “Of the 28 passengers on the bus we can confirm some minor injuries with three being treated at the hospital as a precaution,” she wrote.

South Africa’s government issued a statement on Sunday, saying the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Lindiwe Sisulu, had been informed about the incident.

“Initial media reports suggest that South Africans might be among the injured,” the statement said. “The 24-hour operational center has been activated and South Africa’s Ambassador Vusi Mavimbela and his team in Egypt are engaging with authorities including visiting hospitals to verify the information.”

Previous attack

“The bus was hit but it didn’t look like it exploded,” Mona Zeidan, an eyewitness told CNN.

“They were all minor injuries and nothing serious,” Zeidan, who drove by the site of the explosion after the incident, told CNN.

“Security was inspecting the bus,” she added.

An official at the nearby Al-Haram Hospital told CNN they were receiving the injured tourists.

In December, three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian tour guide were killed when a roadside bomb struck a tourist bus in the Giza region. At least 11 people were injured in the attack.

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