Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — Egypt has reported an attack on the Suez Canal.

Officials said a lone operative attacked a container ship that sailed
through the Suez Canal.

The officials said the Aug. 31 attack on the Panamanian-registered Cosco Asia was meant to disrupt operations in the 192-kilometer strategic waterway, used by the United States for the war in Afghanistan.

“The attempt failed completely, and there was no damage to the ship or the containers it carried,” Suez Canal Authority director Mohab Memish said. “The situation was dealt with strictly by the armed forces.”

In a statement on Sept. 1, Memish did not provide details of the attacker, whom he termed a terrorist. But Egyptian sources said the attack consisted of the launch of two rocket-propelled grenades toward the ship,
located in the northern section of the canal.

“One of the terrorist elements has carried out a failed attempt to
affect the movement of ships in the Suez Canal by targeting one of the
passing ships, Cosco Asia,” Memish said.

Officials said the Egyptian Navy and security forces increased measures
around the canal, including the deployment of armored personnel vehicles and
the U.S.-origin AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. They said three people were
arrested and a machine gun was recovered.

The Suez Canal has been under constant threat since the overthrow of
President Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Officials said the threat intensified in
wake of the military coup against Egypt’s first Islamist president, Mohammed
Morsi, in July.

  Cosco Asia, Egypt: Terrorist fired RPGs at container ship transiting Suez Canal, Mohab Memish