Egypt calls on nationals to avoid public gatherings in New Zealand

CAIRO – 15 March 2019: Egypt called on its citizens in New Zealand to exercise vigilance and avoid gatherings following deadly mass shootings at two mosques that claimed the lives of 49 people and injured 20 others, a Friday statement from the Egyptian embassy said.

The Egyptian embassy offered condolences for the loss of the victims by a gunman in Christchurch region in New Zealand, adding that the embassy is in contact with the Australian authorities to identify the nationalities of the victims.

A video broadcast of the shooting went viral on social media platforms, showing a gunman, who was later identified as Australian citizen Brenton Tarrant, opening fire randomly at worshippers inside Al Noor Mosque in the city of Christchurch, killing dozens; and then he went to another mosque to kill more Muslim worshippers.

The shooter strapped a GoPro camera to his head and broadcast his massacre live on his twitter account, which is now suspended.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labeled the attack as “extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence,” and said it is “one of New Zealand’s darkest days.”