Army takes procedures to ease Sinai residents’ burdens

CAIRO – 4 June 2018: As the Comprehensive Operation – Sinai 2018 achieved massive success in fighting terrorism, the Armed Forces decided to take further procedures to ease the conditions of Sinai residents, according to Governor of North Sinai Abdel-Fattah Harhour.

In a public conference on June 4, Harhour announced that several procedures will be taken during the coming period in favor of Sinai residents, including giving compensations to farmers and land owners who had to give up their lands during the implementation of army plans to secure vital buildings, especially Arish Air Port.

Additional gas stations were opened in different locations of Sinai, according to Harhour.

He also affirmed that all of the mobile phones that were sized during the military operation will be handed back to their owners.

Several other procedures will be taken during the coming period according to the governor.

Fishermen, drivers and casual labor will be receiving compensations up to LE 2,000, along with a LE 500 monthly pension.

Several questions have been raised lately about the conditions in Sinai amid the military plans to confront terrorists and armed groups. Earlier this month, Human Rights Watch issued a statement claiming that Egypt’s army has vastly expanded widespread destruction of homes, commercial buildings, and farms in North Sinai governorate since February 9, 2018, as part of its military campaign against terrorist groups there.

Egyptian military spokesperson, Tamer Refaei, slammed and denounced the report, titled: “Egypt: Army Intensifies Sinai Home Demolitions”. He denied all of the information mentioned in the report, assuring that Sinai’s residents compensations reached LE 900 million.

In statements to Egypt Today, Refaei said that HRW report didn’t use any reliable, official or trusted sources, accordingly, he highly doubts all the data contained within the report.

“Egypt’s Armed Forces are taking all their procedures according to the law and all those affected, got compensations up to LE 900 million,” Refaei said.

He added that the army was keen to provide Sinai residents with all the basic commodities, as well as the administrative and medical needs after cooperating with all the country’s bodies and organizations.

On February 9, Egypt launched “Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018” in North Sinai, Central Sinai, the Nile Delta and the Western Desert along the border with Libya.

The operation showed the high efficiency of the Egyptian military and police in combating terrorism threats, without causing any danger to citizens.

The operation came in response to the Rawda mosque attack near Al-Arish, which killed at least 313 and injured dozens last November. The attack was deemed to be the deadliest in modern Egyptian history.