9 killed in road accident in southern Egypt

At least nine people were killed and 33 others wounded Tuesday in southern Egypt when a passenger bus collided with a small van, official news agency MENA reported.
The head-on collision between the bus carrying 50 passengers and the van occurred along a desert road between the cities of el- Minya and Beni Sweif cities, nearly 200 km south of the capital.
It's not clear whether there were any foreigners on the vehicles.
The bus, originated from Upper Egypt's tourist city of Luxor, was en route to Cairo.
The bus was engulfed in flames following the collision, MENA quoted Beni Sweif governor Magdy al-Betity as saying.
Road accidents in Egypt kill at least 12,000 people a year, according to official statistics. Poor road maintenance and negligence of traffic rules are thought to be major reasons behind the high incidence of accidents.
In August alone, at least 70 Egyptians were killed and over 100 others injured in similar accidents in South Sinai, Sharqiya province and the city of Luxor.