The bodies of 16 slain Egyptian soldiers are being prepared for burial, a day after 35 gunmen ambushed their border post in the Sinai Peninsula. The incident in northern Sinai is proving to be the biggest challenge for Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi since he assumed office about a month ago.
As soldiers near the Israeli border gathered late Sunday to break their fast during this holy month of Ramadan, masked gunmen attacked, commandeered two armored vehicles and drove them to the border crossing with Israel. Both cars were destroyed as they crossed into the country, and Israeli officials say its forces killed eight gunmen.
The incident came at a delicate moment for Morsi, a member of the once-repressed Muslim Brotherhood, who must now assure an exhausted nation that he can provide security as well as basic services after the turmoil of last year’s uprising.
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