El-Sissi: Egypt's Sinai is 'totally stable'
July 4, 2015
During a televised statement to soldiers in North Sinai's El-Arish, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said that the situation was "totally stable" after a series of attacks launched by "Sinai Province," a militant group affiliated with the "Islamic State" militia.
"To say that everything is under control is not enough. The situation is totally stable," el-Sissi told soldiers and police during a visit to the province.
'Establishment of an Islamic state in Sinai'
During the president's visit, air strikes conducted by the Egyptian military killed 25 militants in North Sinai on Saturday, Reuters news agency reported.
The military campaign against the "Sinai Province" - formerly known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis before pledging allegiance to the "Islamic State" - comes amid a growing insurgency in North Sinai.
On Wednesday, the militant group launched attacks on several military checkpoints in the area, resulting in the death of more than 100 militants and 17 soldiers after Egyptian security forces responded to the assault. However, security and medical sources put the number of military casualties higher before the Armed Forces' official announcement.
"Sinai Province" also said it had fired rockets into Israel from Sinai on Friday, a move confirmed by the Israeli military, though denied by Egypt.
Addressing the soldiers in military fatigues - a first since his ascension to power - the former military chief said the purpose of the militant group's attacks were to announce "the establishment of an Islamic state in Sinai" to mark the second anniversary of Morsi's ouster.
Lashing out at Egypt's media
El-Sissi also lashed out at the country's media for misreporting the situation.
The media is presenting "an unreal image about Egypt, its stability and security. The purpose was to affect the will of the Egyptian people," el-Sissi said.
Egyptian media, which is said to share a "close relationship with the regime," according to Egyptian journalist Emir Nader, has recently increased criticism of el-Sissi's administration, a move unimaginable less than a year ago.
ls/bk (Reuters, AFP, AP)