Awqaf inaugurates 3 Islamic centers in Sinai to combat extremism

CAIRO – 2 August 2018: Aiming to confront extremist and terrorist ideologies in Sinai, Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf), Dr.Mohammad Mukhtar Juma inaugurated on Thursday three Islamic centers in North Sinai.

This came two days after President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi issued instructions to combat extremists’ and terrorists’ ideologies through promoting the true moderate image of Islam.

Generally, the Egyptian government is concerned for Sinai’s development. "Egypt has put forward a plan to develop Sinai, which started in 2014 and will continue until 2022," Sisi said in February. He said that the cost of Sinai’s development will reach LE 275 billion.

Government allocations for projects implemented in the current year in North Sinai have totaled LE 174.5 million.

A number of development projects in North Sinai have been launched in various sectors in several cities, in accordance to the development plan and schedule set out by the government.

Sisi inaugurated five developmental and infrastructural projects in Sinai via video conference during the celebration of Sinai Liberation Day on April 25.

These projects areRumaila3’sdesalination plant; two sewage stations, one in Hamam city and the other in Dabaa city; East Matrouh electricity transformer station and a water lifter in the new city of Dabaa.

Rumaila 3 project is a desalination plant with a productive capacity of 12,000 cubic meters per day that will come into force besides Rumaila 1 and 2 plants that produce 24,000 cubic meters per day each. The productive capacity of the three plants will reach 60,000 cubic meters per day.

The sewage station in Hamam city will produce 15,000 cubic meters per day, while the sewage station in Dabaa city comes with a capacity of 14,000 cubic meters per day.

Moreover, the electricity station, East Matrouh, is located in Kilo 29 on the Matrouh-Alexandria Road, with a capacity of 25 mega volt ampere (MVA). The total cost of the station is LE 75 million. It will be an alternative source of electricity for the al-Alban station that is currently feeding the city.

Security forces have been fighting an Islamist insurgency based in North Sinai since the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. These terrorist groups have been targeting security forces by attacking military and police checkpoints, particularly in North Sinai.

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