President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said that more evacuations will be carried out at the border areas in the Sinai Peninsula, a measure decried by human rights advocates and a number of opposing activists as unconstitutional.
The evacuations had started as part of the government’s bid to create a buffer zone designed to give it extra clout in its fight with terrorist groups that have stepped bloody attacks against army and police forces over the past year. It specifically followed a deadly attack on 24 October that killed 31 officers in North Sinai.
“I express the utmost appreciation and apology for the people of Sinai,” Sisi said while attending military wargames dubbed Badr 2014 on Monday. He called upon Sinai citizens not to give the chance to anyone to turn them against the people of Egypt.
“People in Sinai are our families, we are in charge for alleviating their suffering,” he stressed, adding that “when they are moved out of their residences, we are required to provide them with the adequate compensation. We will never forget that sacrifice.”
Sisi predicted the total of compensations paid to evacuated citizens to reach up to LE1 billion.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
