President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi delivered a speech on Wednesday morning in which he pledged to avenge the murders of members of the police force, armed forces, and all Egyptians who were killed in terrorist attacks.
Sisi expressed his appreciation for the courage of those in the police force and their sacrifices to defend and protect the country, as he paid tribute to those killed in attacks or for the sake of protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the nation, according to his words.
“All of you are well aware of the unprecedented threats facing the region and the long-standing challenges, including civil wars and sectarian conflicts. Thanks to the army, police, and Egyptians, Egypt has luckily managed to overcome its previous challenges,” Sisi said.
The speech came a day before January 25, when Egypt marks the 66th anniversary of National Police Day, and the 7th year anniversary of the Egyptian uprisings. The event was held at the Police Academy in New Cairo, in the presence of a large number of senior state officials and ministers.
Egyptian security forces have been battling Islamic militants in North Sinai for years, but the violence has intensified since 2013, resulting in the killing of hundreds of soldiers, police, as well as civilians.
After militants who were seen waving the Islamic State (IS) flag killed over 300 people at a mosque in November 2017, in what was Egypt’s most devastating terror attack in recent history, Sisi set the armed forces a deadline of three months to completely halt the insurgency.
In 2015, Sisi ratified a law which gives a broad definition of ‘terrorist entities’, as part of his government’s ongoing campaign to combat the threat.
The law defines ‘terrorist entities’ as groups or organizations that “call to undermine laws, obstruct the functioning of state institutions, and seek to attack the personal liberty of citizens or harm national unity or social peace.”
