Yasser al-Hambouly, who police describe as being one of the most dangerous outlaws in Egypt, was shot and wounded in a security crackdown on Monday.
Luxor’s Security Directorate said a police force had surrounded the sugar cane field in which Hambouly was hiding. As of Monday evening, police said they were expecting to arrest him within hours.
Luxor police had come under heavy criticism over their failure to re-arrest Yasser Hambouly, 37, who had escaped Qena prison. Hambouly is considered a “dangerous gang leader” accused of conducting armed robbery and killing a policeman.
Acting on a tip-off, the Luxor Security Directorate took advantage of the run-off elections in Luxor to launch a surprise raid on Hambouly’s gang.
Gunfire was exchanged during the raid, resulting in the death of 28-year-old gang member Ahmed Hashim Suleiman. Hambouly, who was shot in the feet and face, managed to escape into a sugar cane field, while his son Heshmat was arrested. One of Hambouly’s gang members was killed in the firefight.
