The Egyptian government would not respond to Al Jazeera film on soldiers, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid, pointing out that the movie lacks any integrity and aims to shake the confidence of citizens in the Egyptian army.
Abu Zeid added in a phone call with ONTV Live satellite channel on Sunday evening that the Egyptian army soldiers are the best in the world and that any attempt to question the armed forces is doomed to failure.
The Egyptian media is able to confirm the role and efficiency of the army, he added. The media will respond to the Al Jazeera film, said Zeid, adding that the state has many tools through which it expresses its stance.
Meanwhile, Aswat Masriya reported that the trailer of the controversial film — produced by the Qatari-owned channel — had been released and the film itself was aired on Sunday night.
"Al Jazeera channel has recently broadcast a trailer of the documentary entitled “Conscripts” that tells the story of Egyptian youth getting ready to serve out their compulsory military service," according to Aswat Masriya.
After the trailer was aired, several Egyptian news outlets attacked Qatar for "insulting the Egyptian Armed Forces."
The film reportedly features conscripts who give testimonies about the treatment they received during their service and their work in commercial and industrial projects owned by the military, Aswat Masriya added.
Ediited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
