Truck crashes into bus, killing 19 in south Egypt

ASSIUT, Egypt – A Security official in Egypt said a truck traveling on a rural highway in southern Egypt has collided with a bus coming from the opposite direction, killing 19, including three children.

The official in the southern city of Aswan said the crash late Sunday was near a village outside the city of Edfu. Three children, ages 3, 6 and nine, and five women were among the dead, all bus passengers heading to Cairo. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

Traffic accidents are common in Egypt due to badly maintained roads and disregard of traffic laws. A 2012 World Health Organization report says 12,000 people die in such accidents every year in the country.