Good media news for Egypt

There were TV channels reporters from Belgium, Switzerland and France reporting about tourism in Egypt and how it was affected by the recent events. They have been to Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. Also a group of Italian journalists on a visit to the sites in different parts of Egypt and German journalists will be coming soon.

From the Ministry of Antiquities

Three people were arrested when they tried to break into El Kom Al Ahmer site near Edfu. Also few other sites were under armed assault in the past 3 weeks in Saqqara, Dahshur, Minia, Sohag and Aswan trying to rob tombs and antiquities magazines in those sites beside some parts of the sites were built on or been cultivated in other sites like west bank, Luxor.

Egyptian Antiquities looting …!!!

Today, Dr. Zahi Hawass received a report about breaking into two magazines near the pyramids early this morning.

Looters headed towards the road to the second pyramid in Saqqara in their attempt to break in two antiquities magazines. They threatened 5 of the guards and the police guard, tied them down and plastered the mouths before they break into the two magazines which are two rock tombs with no carvings. One of the magazines had the reports of Dr. Selim Hassan excavations from years 1929 till 1968.

Ali El asfr, Head of Saqqara antiquities, said “the storage magazine is a rock tomb south to the road to Khafra pyramid and it was sealed with a metal and wooden doors from inside and brick wall from outside, still the looters broke into.” He also referred that an initial inspection in co-operation with the tourism police and Saqqara inspectors showed vandalism in both of the magazines and a number of pottery and clay objects thrown in the entrance of the magazine. An inventory with the General Persecutor to be done.
Dr. Sabry Abd El Aziz agreed on transferring the antiquities in the magazines to the main storage in the area.