Egyptian House approves declaring state of emergency for another 3 months

CAIRO – 1 November 2020: The Egyptian House of Representatives on Sunday approved a presidential decree to declare the state of emergency nationwide for additional three months.

The House approved the decision at a general session on Sunday.

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.