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Belarusian travel agencies told to suspend tours to Egypt

The Ministry of Sports and Tourism of Belarus has recommended Belarusian travel agencies to suspend tours to Egypt until it lifts a state of emergency.

In a statement, the ministry says that the tourists who cancel their trips to Egypt should receive full refunds.

On August 15, Belarus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised the country's citizens against traveling to Egypt until the situation there went back to normal. The ministry urged Belarusian tourists staying in Egypt to exercise vigilance amid escalating violence in the country.

According to an updated report by Egypt’s Health Ministry on Thursday, at least 638 people had been killed and 3,994 injured since security forces moved in early Wednesday on tent camps in Cairo occupied by supporters of former President Mohammed Morsi, who had been ousted in July.

The clashes later spread beyond the capital to the cities of Alexandria, Minya, Assiut, Fayoum and Suez, as well as the Buhayra and Beni Suef provinces.

Pro-Morsi movement Muslim Brotherhood put the death toll at close to 3,000 and claimed that police had used live rounds against civilian protesters. Police denied using lethal force.

On Wednesday, Egypt’s interim authorities declared a month-long nationwide state of emergency, which includes a nighttime curfew in Cairo and 10 provinces. //BelaPAN