Egypt beefs up security amid turmoil with Qatar

CAIRO – 6 June 2017: Egyptian security bodies have issued strict instructions to border services and security concentrations to tighten its measures for protecting public and vital establishments as well as churches, convents, worship places, religious establishments in general, and the routes leading to them.

Additional security forces will spread around touristic locations and parks. Sources revealed to Egypt Today that security entities on one hand and religious bodies and convents on the other hand are coordinating in order to lessen visits to these places currently and taking precautionary measures.

The American Embassy in Cairo has warned on Monday its employees from visiting Christian religious places in fear of further terror attacks. It also called for U.S. citizens in Egypt to follow the steps in the security guide issued by the U.S. Ministry of Foreign Affairs in December 23, 2016 to preserve their personal security.

Sources stated to Egypt Today that warning is just a precautionary measure stressing upon the stability of security conditions in Egypt and that all state’s institutions as well as religious places are subject to a 24/7 security surveillance.

That was in the aftermath of Egypt’s decision to cut ties with Qatar for its support to terrorist groups. The same decision was made by four other Arab countries that are Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Yemen for the same reason.