“Jihadists in the peninsula have killed scores of policemen and soldiers since Morsi’s overthrow to avenge a bloody police crackdown on his supporters.” And if the Egyptian military responds to this with any serious action, the jihadists will use that as something to be avenged with their next jihad attack. Any act of self-defense against jihadis is interpreted by them as an unprovoked attack that must be avenged — they never take any responsibility for their own actions.
“Egypt’s Sinai in lockdown after bomb kills 30 troops,” by Tony Gamal-Gabriel, AFP, October 24, 2014 (thanks to John):
Cairo (AFP) – Egypt imposed a state of emergency Saturday across parts of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula as the military pounded suspected jihadists after a suicide car bombing killed 30 soldiers.
Friday’s bombing was the deadliest attack on security forces since the army deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi last year, to the fury of his supporters.
The state of emergency in the north and centre of the Sinai will remain in place for three months, the president’s office said.
A curfew is in force from 5:00 pm to 7:00 am.
Egypt also announced it would close the Rafah crossing into the Gaza Strip, the only entry to the Palestinian territory not controlled by Israel.
Witnesses told AFP that new security checkpoints were erected in Rafah and the north Sinai town of Sheikh Zuweid.
“The army and police will take all necessary measures to tackle the dangers of terrorism and its financing, to preserve the security of the region… and protect the lives of citizens,” a presidential decree said….
Jihadists in the peninsula have killed scores of policemen and soldiers since Morsi’s overthrow to avenge a bloody police crackdown on his supporters.
The violence has dealt a further blow to a tourism industry already reeling since a 2011 uprising that overthrew long-time president Hosni Mubarak.
While south Sinai is dotted with tourist resorts on the Red Sea — a popular destination for scuba divers — the lawless north is a base for militants who have launched a wave of attacks, mostly targeting security forces.
The peninsula’s southern coastline has been largely spared the violence rocking the country since 2011, partly thanks to security checkpoints in the region.
But it has not been completely untouched by the militants.
In February, a suicide bomber killed three South Korean tourists in an attack on a bus in the south Sinai resort of Taba that was claimed by Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, the most active militant group in Egypt….
Rebecca says
Why isn’t Obama calling for “both sides” to stay calm and not react?
Where is the outrage that Egypt reacted by closing the crossing into Gaza?
Why is everyone blaming Israel for Gaza’s siege, and no one says boo when Egypt imposes a siege?????
Something smells of antisemitism here
gp says
Relax, Israel is not conflicted by pc multiculturalism. They are the leading example for other countries to follow when it comes to dealing with these savages. I pray the next US president will be a true friend to Israel and follow their examples. Haji Barrack Obama and his administration have not been and have consistently undermined Israel’s efforts. Stamp out antisemitism, vote republican.
Antisemitism is in vogue with leftists, liberals, socialists, academia, and the media to a large extent. Same as it ever was. However, another constant you can rely upon is: the American Bible Belt will always be Israels safety belt! Not withstanding our currently conflicted pc multicultural administration.
Dumbledoresarmy says
Egypt would not have to worry about lawless jihadis running amok in the Sinai, if Israel had never been forced to give the Sinai back to Egypt.
If Israel had remained in command and control of the Sinai, there would be IDF bases all over the Sinai and regular military patrols up and down keeping the lid on the jihadis, the St Catherine monastery and all its historic manuscripts would be safe, and everybody would be much better off.
(And the poor persecuted Copts would have somewhere to run to).
Sherif says
As a Copt, and despite persecution, and despite support for Israel’s right to exist, I would never accept Israeli occupation of Sinai.
Jay Boo says
Then again …..
http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/2008/12/egypts-rubbish-people.html
Mirren10 says
”As a Copt, and despite persecution, and despite support for Israel’s right to exist, I would never accept Israeli occupation of Sinai.”
Why ?
gp says
We can see the evil murderous muslim brotherhood is alive and well in Egypt. A scourge to civilized people everywhere that must be wiped out, just as all violent muslim terrorist hate groups must be. There are so many of them their wickedness is flourishing and spreading.
Islam is wholly incompatible with any Western civilization.
duh_swami says
Governments never ‘murder’ anyone, but they do kill a lot of people. Islam is a government looking for a capital, it’s a hostile, violent, hegemonic political system hiding behind religion. It’s soldiers, called jihadists, never murder when acting in Allah’s name, which is always. Cold blooded killers who enjoy their work maybe, but they are not murderers.
Of course in the real world, that is a distinction with no meaning.
Jen says
It is definitely a distinction with no meaning for them, but it is a distinction which matters to us or the victims of their crimes and I wish the mainstream media would brand them for what they really are. They aren’t simply off their own heads- they’re savage, cold-blooded mass murderers who think they are morally justified in their actions. Almost the worse kind of killer really.
UnEasyOne says
I guess the Jews – all 12 of them who still live in Egypt – are in control there now too. Why else would they close their border to all those peaceful palistinians?
If the palistinians made peace, they could have jobs in israel. They could still have the huge greenhouses the Israelis left them as a gift, when they voluntarily withdrew from Gaza. The world would would be happy to educate their children, if they dropped the “Death to the Jews” theme that permeates their schools.
But they want to annihilate the Jews; they will settle for nothing less. Whatever the taqiyya they are spouting at a give time, that’s always the bottom line The minds of their children are poisoned from birth, and that’s easily demonstrated every time a reporter goes to one of their schools.
Salah says
“Al Sisi is the man who stood up against the Muslim Brotherhood and liberated the land of Egypt from the rule of the sword, from violence and from terrorism.
We bear witness, and the whole world bears witness that Al Sisi is a man of righteousness, a man of righteousness and justice.
May God protect him and be with him”.
Father Zakaria Botros, Islam’s ‘Public Enemy #1′
http://crossmuslims.blogspot.ca/2014/10/zakaria-botros-on-al-sisi.html