Egypt's PM pledges commitment to balance between freedoms, needs of national security

CAIRO – 1 November 2020: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli delivered Sunday a speech at the House of Representative on President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi's decision to renew the enforcement of the Emergency Law for another three months.

The prime minister pledged the Cabinet's commitment to achieving a balance between freedoms and the needs of the national security.

Madbouli expressed pride on accomplishing negative growth in FY2019/2020 attributing that to the strength of the Egyptian people, and its confidence in the government and the political leadership.

The prime minister added that what Egypt achieved and is still achieving does not satisfy lurking entities, but increases their conspiring against it.

The Official Gazette published on October 26 Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli's decision to impose a curfew in some areas in North Sinai as of that date morning till the end of the state of emergency that was extended on the same day by presidential decree no.596/2020 for three months.

According to the decree, it is prohibited to roam the area extending from east of the Tel Rafah passing by the international border line and Awja west of Arish to Mount Halal.

The curfew is imposed in the area extending west of Arish, passing by the Mediterranean coast, until the international border in Rafah.

In the south, it extends from south of Mount Halal to Awja on the international border.

The curfews in the areas indicated are from 7 pm to 6 am on the following day, except for the area on the international road from the checkpoint of al-Midan to the west entrance of the city of Arish, where the curfew is from 1 am to 5 am of the same day.

Egypt has been countering terrorism and extremism ideologies over the past years since the ouster of late Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi. Several operations have been taking place in Sinai against terrorists, as many Egyptian officers and soldiers have martyred in the battle.

Terrorism started to rise in North Sinai during the January 25th Revolution in 2011 when a gas pipeline was bombed. Under late President Morsi, 16 soldiers were killed in a shooting in 2012. The incident was dubbed Rafah Massacre 1. Seven others were abducted in 2013 but security forces managed to free them.

Terror attacks intensified after the ouster of Morsi over mass protests on July 3, 2013. It is noted that Morsi was member of the Supreme Guide Bureau of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is outlawed in Egypt and designated a terrorist organization.

The attacks targeted mainly churches, buildings of security directorates, security checkpoints, ambushes, and patrols causing hundreds of deaths, injuries, and material losses across the country. At present, terrorism is predominantly restricted to North Sinai.