Egypt's President Predicts Long War Against Sinai Militants
CAIRO
— Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said in comments published
on Saturday that his country's war against Islamic militants in the
Sinai Peninsula would be long, but that conditions in the vast and arid
region were improving.
In
an interview with Egypt's three state-owned newspapers, he acknowledged
that both the militants and government forces were getting better at
fighting each other in the strategic area bordering Israel and the
Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
"Conditions
in Sinai are improving and (our) efforts are continuing because the war
is long," said el-Sissi, whose comments came one day after Islamic
State militants attacked an army checkpoint in Sinai, killing 12
soldiers and wounding at least six more.
"The terrorists are evolving and we are improving our operations," he said.
IS
claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement Saturday, saying
its fighters killed 20 "apostates" and seized all weapons at the
checkpoint, located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of the Suez
Canal, near the town of Bir el-Abd.
The
Egyptian military said Friday that troops killed 15 militants in a gun
battle at the checkpoint. The IS statement said its fighters had
"returned safely" to their base.
Journalists have had virtually no access to northern Sinai in recent years.
Responding
to criticism that the military might be distracted by its growing
involvement in large civilian infrastructure projects, el-Sissi sought
to reassure Egyptians that the armed forces remain committed to their
core task.
He
said the military's role in the economy would "recede" in coming years,
adding: "Rest assured the armed forces are capable and qualified to
protect Egypt."
El-Sissi
was Egypt's top general when he led the overthrow of Mohammed Morsi, an
elected but divisive Islamist president, in 2013. El-Sissi was elected
president the following year.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/10/15/world/middleeast/ap-ml-egypt.html?_r=0
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