Egyptian army soldiers stand guard in northern Sinai - Reuters
CAIRO – 25 April 2018: Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abdu Zeid praised the Egyptian Armed Forces on Wednesday for their accomplishments in fighting terrorism in Sinai, in a statement marking the 36th anniversary of Sinai Liberation Day.
On his Twitter account, Abu Zeid said that what happens nowadays is very close to the incidents of the liberation of Sinai. “We liberated Sinai from occupation on April 25, 1982, and today we [work to] liberate it from terrorism, conspiracy and betrayal,” Abu Zeid stated.
“We and our grandchildren will always remember the Egyptians’ huge accomplishments and sacrifices they made for the Land of Turquoise (Sinai),” Abu Zeid added.
Earlier Wednesday, the Armed Forces issued a statement following up on the updates of Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018, which kicked off in February to eliminate terrorists in Sinai.
Thirteen dangerous terrorists were killed in North and Central Sinai, while 173 others were arrested, according to the statement.
President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi praised the Egyptian people and army personnel in a speech on Wednesday.
Sisi said that the experience of Sinai has proved that the Egyptian people do not forget their revenge and “do not give in to defeat,” adding that Egyptians are capable of obliging others to respect them.
“Successive wars [against the nation] and difficult peace negotiations taught us that rights backed by force will eventually dominate and emerge victorious,” Sisi said. He added that Egyptians do not give up their lands and are capable of protecting their lands through peace and war.
The Sinai Peninsula was liberated from Israeli occupation following the Egypt-Israel peace treaty signed in Washington in 1979. The treaty was signed by former President Anwar Al-Sadat and then-Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Israel had occupied Sinai during the Six-Day War in 1967.
On Tuesday, Sisi laid a wreath of roses at the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier and read “Al-Fatiha” (the first chapter of the Quran) for Sadat, which is an Islamic ritual performed to pay tribute for a person.
Sadat went to war with Israel in October 1973. The October War was fought by a coalition of Arab states, led by Egypt and Syria, against Israel in Sinai and the Golan Heights.
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