Gunman killed, another injured in attack on Egyptian hotel

Cairo: Egyptian police Friday killed a gunman and injured another in a foiled attack on an hotel in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, the Interior Ministry said.

Three foreign tourists — two Austrians and a Swede — were also injured, the ministry added, according to state television.

The assailants sneaked into the hotel and attempted to attack the guests. Police killed one attacker, whom the ministry identified as Mohammed Hassan, aged 21.

The second was seriously wounded.

The attackers had in their possession a gun and a knife, police said.

The attack came a day after masked persons fired birdshot at an hotel near the Pyramids of Giza. The Interior Ministry blamed the attack on followers of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

An affiliate to the terrorist Daesh claimed responsibility for the Giza assault, which injured no one.

Tourism, a key foreign currency earner for Egypt, has been hit by the unrest that has gripped the country following the 2011 uprising that ousted former president Husny Mubarak.

The industry suffered a hard blow in October last year after a Russian plane crashed in Sinai shortly after departure from the popular resort of Sharm Al Shaikh.

Daesh claimed downing the jet, which killed all the 224 people on the board.

Reuters earlier quoted security services that the attackers had arrived by sea to launch the onslaught on the beachside Bella Vista Hotel.