Sisi holds Azhar officials responsible for ‘ending dark ideologies’

CAIRO – 29 November 2017: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi told Al-Azhar (the highest religious authority) officials and sheikhs that they are responsible for ending the dark and extreme ideologies that surround the state and whole region.

“You are the ‘light brigades’ responsible for ending the darkness around us,” Sisi addressed the sheikhs present at the celebrations ceremony of Prophet Mohamed’s Birthday (Mawlid al-Nabi), Wednesday.

After standing in a minute of silence for Al-Rawdah mosque victims, Sisi affirmed that the Egyptian economy would be different by now if the state was not facing and dealing with all the terrorist attacks that took place during the past 50 years.

“Compared to the difficult circumstances we are going through; we are doing fine,” Sisi said during his speech.

President Sisi also obligated Lieutenant General Mahmoud Hegazy, chief of staff of the armed forces, to restore security and stability in the state, and especially Sinai, within three months.

“You are responsible of restoring the state’s stability within only three months. You are allowed to use all the needed brute force to do so,” Sisi said addressing Hegazy.

Sisi said that Egypt is facing a full-fledged war to prevent it from developing and achieving its plans. He added that the war the state is facing is backed by several foreign governments that support terrorist and armed groups with money and weapons.