1st LD: 12 killed accidentally by Egyptian security forces

Egyptian security forces on Monday mistakenly killed 12 people and injured 10 others in the country's western desert area of Al-Wahat, the state-run Al-Ahram news website reported.

The Mexican Foreign Ministry has confirmed at least two of the dead were Mexican nationals.

A joint police and army force mistook a tourist convoy carrying Mexican tourists, who were present in a "restricted area", for the "terrorist elements" it was chasing, a statement from the interior ministry said.

"The incident led to the death of 12 Mexicans and Egyptians and wounding of 10 others," it said.

All of the 22 people have been transferred to hospitals, and an inspection team was formed to identify what happened, the statement added.

As the gateway to lawless Libya, Egypt's western desert has been exploited by terrorists, who mainly target security forces in the restive Sinai Peninsula.

Egypt has been battling a surge of anti-security attacks in its North Sinai province since the military overthrew Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013, in response to mass protests against his rule.

Hundreds of police and soldiers have been killed in attacks by Egypt's most active militant group, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which has changed its name to "Sinai State" and declared allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) militant group last year.

Last week, the army launched an operation dubbed "the martyr's rights" around the North Sinai towns of Rafah, Sheikh Zuweid and El-Arish and has killed 296 militants since then. Endi