'Regional conflicts prove recent boosting of Egyptian Army's capacity necessary': President Sisi

CAIRO – 14 October 2024: In a ceremony held by the Egyptian Armed Forces Monday, President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi said that the 6th of October Victory was a saga made by both the people and the army.

 

A mini documentary was streamed to showcase the details of the victory of the 6th of October 1973 War at the ceremony held to celebrate the 51st anniversary.

The mini documentary shed light on the War of Attrition that Egypt launched in the aftermath of the Six Day War 1967 leading up to the destruction of the Bar Lev Line on the Suez Canal East Bank and restoration of part of Sinai. The military operations carried out within the War of Attrition caused losses among the Israeli forces in the then-occupied Sinai.

A sketch was performed highlighting people’s worries about the situation and non-anticipation of waging a comprehensive war against the enemy pushing for peace talks later and the restoration of the entire Sinai Peninsula.

Later, the Egyptian president, defense minister, senior officials and all attendees of the ceremony stood up to show respect and greet seven veterans who participated in the 6th of October 1973 War. The president also posed for a photo with the war heroes.

The mini documentary equally underscored the war on terror that Egypt carried out for years since 2013 to eradicate terrorism that infested Sinai causing a loss of $450 billion.

Afterwards, President Sisi honored a number of 6th of October 1973 War veterans. One of them asked to speak, and he told the story of when he arrived at Qantara 4 in Sinai after it had been seized by the Egyptian forces, as he found scores of martyrs, which was a sign of the bravery of Egyptian soldiers who would not hesitate to sacrifice to get their land back.

President Sisi stressed during his speech that the 6th of October 1973 epitomizes the success created by good preparedness in the form of leveraging technology and planning.

The chief of state reiterated Egypt’s keenness on fair and comprehensive peace in the Middle East through the settlement of the Palestinian Cause in alignment with the UN Security Council resolutions. He noted that establishing a Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967 having as capital East Jerusalem will bring peace to the Middle East.

In another context, President Sisi commended the Egyptian people’s resilience in the face of challenges imposed by global crises and development requirements. In that framework, he asserted that the unity of the Egyptian people was crucial to overcome any crisis.

The president concluded by showcasing that the recent regional conflicts have proven the importance of bolstering the capacity of the Egyptian Armed Forces and police, and that has already been accomplished by the state throughout the past years.