Egyptian universities exempt martyrs’ sons from fees

CAIRO – 23 October 2018: Cairo University exempted martyrs’ sons of study and campus housing fees, Cairo University President Mohamed Othman el-Khesht stated Tuesday, Oct.23.

Khesht added that the university will always support the martyrs’ sons and daughters, saying “My office is always open for martyrs’ sons and daughters to solve any problem facing them in terms of university study, campus housing or in their lives in general.”

For his side, Vice President of Mansoura University Ashraf Abdel Basset said that the university appointed 30 of the army and police martyrs' relatives after meeting all the necessary conditions.

“This comes in response to what the martyrs did for the country; they lost their lives defending our homeland, and the government must assume full responsibility for the children of the martyrs," Abdel Basset said.

Furthermore, President of Helwan University Maged Negm also said that the exemption decision is considered a national duty.

Since the revolution of January 25, 2011, there are more than 20,000 martyrs and wounded men from the Ministry of Interior and the army.

The armed and naval forces began a military operation named “Full-Scale Operation Sinai 2018” against terrorists in Sinai affiliated to the Islamic State (IS) (previously known as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis), Military spokesman Tamer al-Rifai announced in a statement in February.

In remarks to “Ten news” talk show on TEN channel, Radi said that “Sinai 2018 is a result of a series of military efforts and investigations since 2013, particularly after the Rawdah Mosque attack.” The attack took place on November 24, 2017, and claimed the lives of more than 300 people in North Sinai.

Since the 2011 Revolution that ended former President Hosni Mubarak’s 30 years in power, militant groups used Sinai as a hotbed and attacked several military and security forces. As a result, the army carried out two massive military operations; In August 2011, the army launched “Eagle 1” against militants who claimed responsibility for bombing the Egypt-Israel gas pipeline in Arish in July 2011.

On August 5, 2012, the army launched “Eagle 2” operation in North Sinai, following the death of 16 police officers during an attack on a police station in North Sinai near the Egypt-Israel border crossing, Karam Abu Salem.

However, the terrorist attacks intensified following the dispersal of the pro-Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins of Rabaa and Nahda squares on August 14, 2013. Since then, the Armed Forces waged the four-phase operation of “Martyr’s Right,” killing hundreds of terrorists.