Investigation launched on Warraq violence incidents: PM

CAIRO – 17 July 2017: A fact-checking committee has been formed to investigate the incident that happened in the Warraq district, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail stated about Sunday’s clashes between the island’s residents and policemen who were imposing the government’s decision to fight encroachments on state-owned lands.

The prime minister expressed his sorrow over the violence that broke out between security forces and Warraq district residents, which resulted in the death of one citizen, the injury of 19 others, and the arrest of 10 others, while 37 policemen were injured.

According to Sherif’s press statement during his meeting at the General Authority for Investment (GAFI), the state has taken decisive acts to reclaim looted state-owned lands, revealing that there were 1,000 cases of demolishing buildings on looted islands. The cabinet on Sunday asserted that the government would continue dealing decisively with any encroachments on state-owned lands in order to retake them in all governorates.

“Police forces were surprised by the gunshots and throwing of rocks by the island’s residents,” Ismail told reporters, adding that security forces were keeping order in the Giza district.

“No citizen was violently evacuated from his house,” he added.

“The state has a keen interest in this issue and will show no leniency with such irresponsible practices, which represent a blatant violation of the rights of the state, citizens and coming generations,” the cabinet stated Sunday.

Clashes erupted Sunday between security forces and residents of the Warraq district in Giza during a crackdown to remove Nile encroachments, resulting in injuries on both sides.

A total of 37 policemen, including Assistant Security Directorate head Reda el-Omda, were injured with birdshots, and a civilian suffered suffocation from a tear-gas bomb thrown to disperse the residents, according to Al-Shorouq newspaper.

The Giza Security Directorate launched a campaign Sunday to remove buildings in violation on the Nile in the Warraq district.

In January 2015, the Ministry of Irrigation launched a national campaign titled “Save the Nile,” aiming to remove all transgressions placed on the Nile River. Since the launch, a total of 26,651 violation cases were seized.