17 killed in traffic accident in southern Egypt

Baku, August 3, AZERTAC

At least 17 people were killed and four others injured late Tuesday in an accident involving a micro bus and a truck on the desert road of Sohag Province in southern Egypt, according to Xinhua.

"Fifteen ambulances rushed to the scene of the accident to take the injured to the Sohag Public Hospital," Tarek al-Fiqy, governor of Sohag, told Xinhua.

"Initial investigations blamed the high speed of the microbus driver for the accident when he attempted to avoid collision with the coming truck from the opposite side," he added.

Road accidents are common in Egypt because of poorly maintained road infrastructure and loosely enforced traffic regulations.