Fil-Egyptian injured by stray bullet in Cairo crackdown, says DFA

DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – A Filipino-Egyptian teenager in Egypt was injured by a stray bullet Thursday night as government security forces cracked down on protesters in the country’s capital, Cairo.

“Last night, a teenage Filipina-Egyptian residing in Helwan, Cairo was hit in her right shoulder by a stray bullet that penetrated their apartment,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman assistant secretary Raul Hernandez said in a text message Friday.

“She is now confined in a hospital where embassy personnel visited her to check her condition and offer assistance,” Hernandez said.

Egyptian government security forces dispersed a sit in protest of supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi which resulted in violent clashes.

Morsi was ousted in a military coup last July. His supporters have since been holding protests all over the country calling for his reinstatement.

At least 600 have already been reported killed with thousands more injured in the latest incident of violent dispersals.

Several governments, including the United Nations, European Union, and United States of America, have condemned the violence.

The Egyptian government has already declared a month-long state of emergency in light of the spiralling civil unrest.

The DFA has already raised alert level 3 in the country and calling on Filipinos who want to be repatriated to contact the Philippine Embassy in Cairo.

“Crisis Alert level three is in effect in Egypt. Filipinos who wish to avail of voluntary repatriation should get in touch with our embassy in Cairo. Our embassy is prepared to assist Filipinos who wish to go home in view of the security concerns in that country,” Hernandez said.

“We continue to advise our kababayans (countrymen) to exercise extra precaution and stay in their homes; if they need to go out, they should avoid places where protest actions are taking place, and to comply with the Egyptian government’s orders, especially the curfew. If their homes are located near protest areas, they must stay away from windows,” he said.