Families of Wahat clashes' victims proud despite sorrow

CAIRO – 22 October 2017: Showing a great deal of patience and strength, the families of security officers who were killed in the Friday’s clashes in Giza spoke to mass media and newspapers about the incident.

Following the news of the clashes were circulated on social media, a hashtag translated #retaliation_for_martyrs surfaced Twitter, where many Egyptians expressed anger and sorrow over the death of young police officers while fighting terrorism.

During telephone interviews on Egyptian satellite TV programs, the families of victims expressed satisfaction and affirmed that their sons and brothers sacrificed their lives for the sake of Egypt.

Massive funerals were held for the victims in their hometowns. First lieutenant Ahmed Shosha was buried in Suez governorate. Shosha was born in 1995, graduated in the Police Academy in 2016, and was among the security force that conducted the raid.
Shosha’s father said, in an interview with Mehwar, that his son “wished to die as a martyr.”

“Ahmed’s colleagues also wanted to sacrifice their lives for the country. The funeral was like a big bridal,” he added.

Another victim of the raid was Captain Amr Salah, a special operations officer. His brother said in an interview with Dream channel, that Salah chose deliberately to join the special operations department after he graduated.

He added that Salah had thwarted an attack on Azbakeya police station on his own, saying, “he lived and died as a real man.”

Salah’s father said in an interview with DMC, that he does not feel sad because his son was martyred, and he is proud of him. He affirmed, “I am ready to join the police to fight like my son.”

There were claims that Captain Mohamed Al-Haies was killed in the operation, however his father spoke to media, affirming that his son’s body has not been found yet. He said, “My son’s death has not been confirmed until now.” During the interview, he said that he is satisfied with God’s will.

Seventeen security personnel were killed and fifteen others were injured during a raid on a militant hideout near the Giza-Al Wahat Road in the Giza governorate. According to security sources, the police forces are still deployed around the area to observe terrorist elements. The desert road was closed from both directions of Giza and Fayoum with a number of checkpoints to besiege any fleeing terrorists.