States that fund, train terrorists must be punished: Sisi

CAIRO – 26 May 2017: Egypt will not hesitate to target any training camps of terrorists inside or outside the country, and states that facilitate terrorist activities must be punished, said President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi in an official speech at the presidential palace after a meeting with the National Defense Council.

Sisi condemned the terrorist attack that has killed 28 of people in Upper Egypt's Minya on Friday, expressing his solidarity and condolences to the families of the victims.

"Terrorism targets the entire country with its Muslims and Christians, but it will not undermine the will of Egyptian people,” he said, emphasizing the determination of Egyptians to eliminate terrorism.

The president said "Egypt is waging a huge war against extremist forces in the country on behalf of the whole world.”

“The Egyptian army has destroyed more than 1,000 four-wheel drive vehicles, 300 of which in the Western Desert during the past three months,” Sisi said, adding: “as I am speak now, there is an Egyptian air strike being launched against a training camp of these terrorists.”

The Egyptian president referred to his four-point strategy to eradicate terrorism that he explained at the recent Arab Islamic American Summit, where he called for drying up sources of financial and ideological support for terrorists. He reiterated that states that provide funding and logistics to terrorist groups must be punished.

Sisi extended a message to U.S. President Donald Trump, saying “I trust your ability to face terrorism across the world.”

Earlier on Friday, an armed group opened fire at a bus carrying more than 50 Christians in Minya, killing 28 and injuring at least 25, including children.

The attack comes one month after Sisi declared a three-month state of emergency in the aftermath of two churches bombings in April that killed at least 44 people in Tanta and Alexandria.