Founder of Egyptian special forces of 777th Division passes away at 83

CAIRO – 5 March 2021: Egyptian Major General Ahmed Rajai Attia, one of the prominent leaders at the Egyptian Thunderbolt Forces in the 1973 War and founder of the Egyptian Special Forces (777th Division), died evening, Thursday, at the age of 83, Al-Watan reported.

 

The deceased established the Thunderbolt School and the Thunderbolt Training Center in Algeria. He participated in the war of attrition and the 1973 October War.

 

Attia received the Order of the Military Star, the Order of the Republic, duty, training, courage twice, and a good example.

 

On the same day, chair of the Defense and National Security Committee in the House of Representatives Major General Kamal Amer passed away on Thursday after he was infected with new coronavirus COVID-19.

 

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi mourned him and issued a decree on Thursday to promote the deceased as a Lieutenant General and awarded him the Nile Sash, according to a statement from the Egyptian Presidency. In addition to this, one of the new under-construction roads or squares will be named after Amer Kamal.

 

I it is expected that the House of Representatives will appoint lawmaker Heba El Awady to succeed him.

 

MP Kamal Amer was infected with the virus few days ago, and then he was hospitalized after  his health worsened.  He died after failed attempts to treat him.

 

Amer graduated in 1962 from the Infantry Department at the Military Academy. He also obtained a master's degree in military science in October 1972, and an associate's degree in military strategy in June 1984.

 

He was commander of the Third Field Army, and its chief of staff until 1994. He then became the manager of the Military Intelligence and Reconnaissance Department and was its deputy until 1997.  He held many prominent civilian positions such as Governor of Matrouh, Governor of Aswan, and Editor-in-Chief of Defense Magazine since December.

 

He participated in several wars like 1073 War, the North Yemen Civil War, War of Attrition, and the Gulf War.