Egypt sets up camps in western region for Libyan cyclone victims

CAIRO - 13 September 2023: Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, on Wednesday, directed the establishment of shelter camps in Egypt's Western Military Zone to accommodate Libyan citizens who have lost their homes due to the recent cyclone and flooding that hit various regions in Libya.

This was according to statements reported by the Egyptian newspaper "Al-Masry Al-Youm," which quoted Ahmed Fahmi, the official spokesperson for the Presidency of the Republic.

As part of this directive, the aircraft carrier "Mistral" is expected to be equipped to function as a field hospital, aiming to alleviate the burdens on Libyans and provide them with the necessary support during these challenging times.

This move comes after el-Sisi announced on Tuesday a three-day mourning period in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in solidarity with the Moroccan and Libyan peoples, due to the humanitarian catastrophe resulting from the earthquake in Morocco and the cyclone in Libya.

The Egyptian Presidency released a statement saying, "President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi directed the armed forces to provide all forms of humanitarian support, including relief teams, rescue equipment, and shelter camps for those affected, in cooperation and coordination with Libyan and Moroccan agencies and institutions."

Moreover, el-Sisi ordered the armed forces to provide "immediate support and humanitarian relief, both by air and sea, to our brethren in Libya and Morocco," expressing his deepest condolences on behalf of himself and the Egyptian people for the victims of the humanitarian disasters in both Morocco and Libya.