Egyptian woman dragged to death in Cairo car robbery

The victim, identified as a woman in her 20s, was reportedly dragged to her death by the assailants' getaway vehicle.

1 min read

15 October, 2020

Authorities arrested one of at least three suspects on Wednesday [Getty/ Archive]

One of at least three suspects was arrested on Wednesday over the killing of a woman in Cairo that sparked widespread anger across Egypt.

The victim, a woman in her 20s identified only as Mariam, was killed while walking home from work in the Cairo suburb of Maadi.

Mariam was attacked and robbed by men riding in a white van, according to investigators. The assailants had snatched Mariam's bag and dragged her along with it, causing her to collide with a parked car.

Emergency services arrived at the scene half an hour after the collision, where she was found to be dead. Mariam had suffered serious head injuries and had wounds all over her body, according to Egyptian media reports.

Initial reports of the young woman's death claimed she had been sexually assaulted before her death, triggering public anger across Egypt. Using the Arabic hashtag 'Maadi_Girl', socal media users condemned the crime.

In recent months, sex crimes have gained attention in the country due to a high profile gang rape case dating back to 2014 and the trial of a former student accused of sexual assault.

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