NMA: Army’s mopping-up operation ‘sacred war against’ terrorists

CAIRO - 9 February 2018: Egypt’s National Media Authority (NMA) announced its support for the army’s military mopping-up operation against militants in Sinai, describing it as a “sacred war against the enemies of life.”

“The authority calls on our free national media to support the country in its battles (against the terrorists) and to report (events) only from our reliable sources, which provide correct data and truth on a regular basis,” the authority said in a statement on Friday. Egypt’s media outlets should be aware of repercussions of the dirty war that has been waged by the terrorists, the statement added.

“Egypt is on a legitimate war to defend its territories and people,” the statement read, calling on the people to stand with the army in this “legitimate war,” which comes in accordance with international standards and laws.

Egypt's Armed Forces launched a comprehensive military operation targeting the hotbeds of terrorists in North and Central Sinai on Friday, in a bid to purge terrorism from the peninsula.

In cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, a high state of alert has been declared in other areas such as the Egyptian Delta and the Western Desert.

“The army launched “Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018” to uproot terrorists across areas in North and Central Sinai, Delta and the Western Desert,” said Armed Forces spokesperson Tamer el-Refai in a televised statement.

On his official Twitter account, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi said that he is proud of the Egyptian military and security forces, who are “purging Egypt’s precious land from terrorist elements.”

Classes have been suspended in all North Sinai schools on Friday until further notice amid the Armed Forces’ full-scale operation against terrorists in the region, according to North Sinai governor Abdel Fatah Harhour.

Sinai has been a hotbed for militants operating in Egypt for decades. It is also believed to be home to the Islamic State’s Egyptian branch, which primarily targets Christians and security forces in the area.

House of Representatives Speaker Ali Abdel Aal expressed parliament’s complete support to the Egyptian Armed Forces’ comprehensive counter-terrorism operation launched on Friday in the Sinai Peninsula.

Headed by His Holiness Pope Towadros II, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt and President of Egypt’s Evangelical Community, Rev. Dr. Andrea Zaki announced their unremitting support of the comprehensive Military Operation of Sinai 2018.

The Islamic Sunni Institute of Al-Azhar calls upon all the Egyptian people to support our brave armed forces and security men in confronting these terrorist and criminal elements, which terrorized innocent citizens.

The Egypt Support Coalition, led by lawmaker Mohammed Zaki el-Sewedy, affirmed the coalition’s full support for the Armed Forces and for President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to face terrorism.