Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday said that the country’s army will use utmost force in the fight against terrorism in the Sinai Peninsula.
The president made the remarks while launching a number of national mega projects in the Suez Canal region in Ismailia province northeast of the capital Cairo.
Sisi said that Egyptians “should never fear any foreign threats” as long as they are united, giving assurances that the country is headed in the right direction towards development and success despite terrorist plots.
The remarks come just a few days after an attack that targeted Arish airport in North Sinai killed an officer, wounded two others and caused damages to a helicopter during the visit of defense and interior ministers to Arish city.
Another attack on November 24 against a mosque in a small village, also in Arish, killed at least 310 Muslim worshipers and wounded over 120 others, marking the deadliest terror operation and the first against a Muslim mosque in Egypt’s modern history.
Following the mosque attack, Sisi ordered the army’s chief of staff to restore security and stability in the restive part of the peninsula within three months.
Terror activities in Egypt have killed hundreds of security men and civilians since the military toppled former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian security forces have killed hundreds of terrorists and arrested a great number of suspects during the country’s anti-terror operations.
