14 Tourists Injured In Bus Bombing Near Egypt's Giza Pyramid

At least 14 people were injured in an explosion targeting foreign tourists near a new museum at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt, said security sources. Most of the tourists injured were foreigners. Witnesses reported a loud blast when the bus stopped in traffic.

According to the officials, the bus was headed to the nearby Movenpick hotel when the explosion happened. The bomb is believed to have been planted by the roadside.

No fatalities have been reported so far and no one has claimed responsibility attack. The bus was carrying 28 passengers including South African nationals, reported Euro news. Egypt’s Tourism Minister Raina A. Al Mashat said on Twitter that “three passengers are being treated at the hospital as a precaution.”

CNN reported that 10 tourists and seven Egyptians were taken to the Al- Haram Hospital with minor injuries and 10 of those have been released. The rest were transferred to another hospital.

Pictures posted on social media taken after police sealed off the the bus shows a vehicle with some windows shattered and debris on the road next to a low wall with a hole in it.

The museum is due to open next year as the new home for the country’s top antiquities. It is on a site near the famous Giza Pyramid and has been built to boost the country’s tourism. The explosion comes at a crucial time as Egypt is preparing to host the African Cup of Nations For Football (Afcon) next month, BBC reported.

A statement issued by South African government Sunday said, “Initial media reports suggest that South Africans might be among the injured. 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."

This is the second attack in six months on tourists in the area. In December, three Vietnamese tourists and their local tour guide were killed by a similar roadside bomb. Ten others were also injured when the bomb hit their bus.