Maggie Michael and Maamoun Youssef report for the Associated Press:
‘Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said Saturday that an assault on an army checkpoint in the Sinai Peninsula that killed 31 troops was a “foreign-funded operation” and vowed to take drastic action against militants.
In thundering remarks delivered before cameras ahead of a military funeral for the slain troops, el-Sissi said there are foreign powers that want to “break the back of Egypt,” without elaborating. He vowed to take drastic measures to uproot the militants and said Egypt is engaged in an “extensive war” that will last a long time.
“There is a big conspiracy against us,” he said while standing with army commanders ahead of the funeral.’
- President Sisi says jihadists threaten Egypt’s existence
- In Egypt, Emergency Rule After Sinai Blasts
- Egypt to set up buffer zone with Gaza Strip
Filed under: Egypt, Middle East & North Africa, War On Terror
