Egyptian tank moves to Rafah border where seven soldiers have been held by an armed group. The incident has escalated tensions between the government and the military., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Egyptian army ready to move to free kidnapped soldiers: Sources
Ahram Online, Tuesday 21 May 2013
Military sources say that troops in Sinai are taking up their positions for an operation to liberate 7 Egyptian soldiers kidnapped last week
The Egyptian armed forces have intensified deployment of troops in Sinai on Tuesday in the areas of Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid City, in preparation for an operation to free seven kidnapped soldiers, according to Ahram's Arabic website, which cited unnamed military sources.
The report said that armoured vehicles are aiming to encircle the kidnappers and minimise their chances of escaping with the hostages. Main roads were also blocked as mobile and static police checkpoints increased.
Seven Egyptian security personnel, including one member of the armed forces, four from port security, and two from state security, have been held by unidentified kidnappers in the Sinai Peninsula since Thursday.
It is the first time Egyptian security personnel have been abducted by Sinai-based militants, though kidnappings are rife in the region.
A military source was quoted in Ahram as saying that elements from the Second and Third Army, regional divisions of the Egyptian armed forces responsible for the Sinai Peninsula and the Suez Canal, would be involved in the operation.
However, he denied that the operation is underway as reported, without mentioning when it will begin.
"Doing a military job cannot be hasty or impulsive … it comes after coordination between military and political leaders, after all means of peaceful negotiations are exhausted," he said.
"The fact that troops are moving does not mean the operation has started."
The same anonymous source also said that the police have sent forces specialised in hostage liberation to Sinai to support the deployed troops.
On Sunday, President Morsi said that "all options" remained open to secure the release of the kidnapped security personnel, stressing that Egypt would "not be blackmailed" by the captors.
Egyptian police have been the target of several violent attacks by Sinai residents over the past two years.
Residents of Sinai have often complained of neglect and marginalisation by the authorities, especially after the revolution, and some have sought to take revenge against the security forces after years of heavy-handed security policies.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/71996.aspx
Salafist leader offers to negotiate with Sinai kidnappers
Ahram Online , Tuesday 21 May 2013
Leader of Salafist Call in Alexandria says negotiated settlement to kidnap crisis is still possible, raises concerns over military buildup in Sinai Peninsula
A delegation from Salafist Call – Egypt's most powerful Salafist group – is seeking to communicate with the kidnappers of seven security personnel in the Sinai Peninsula, the group's leader said on Tuesday.
Salafist Call (Al-Daawa Al-Salafiya)is willing to negotiate with the kidnappers via mediators from Bedouin tribes, Abdel-Moneim El-Shahat, who is based in Alexandria, told Turkish news agency Anadolu.
"I believe the kidnappers think they have reached a point of no-return, but we [Salafist Call] have sent them a message stating there is still an opportunity [for negotiations], as was mentioned by the presidency," El-Shahat explained.
The best solution would be for the kidnappers to release the captives, El-Shahat added.
El-Shahat also expressed concern about the military buildup in the peninsula. Egyptian troops have started combing towns and villages in the region which, according to El-Shahat, could provoke anger among the local Bedouin population.
Seven Egyptian security personnel, including a member of the armed forces, four from port security, and two from state security, have been held by unidentified kidnappers in the Sinai Peninsula since Thursday.
It is the first time Egyptian security personnel have been abducted by Sinai-based militants.
On Sunday, President Morsi said "all options" remained open to secure the release of the kidnapped security personnel, stressing that Egypt would "not be blackmailed" by the captors.
Egyptian police have been the target of several attacks by Sinai Bedouins over the past two years.
Residents of Sinai have often complained of neglect and marginalisation by the authorities, especially after the revolution, and some have sought to take revenge against the security forces after years of heavy-handed security policies.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/71971.aspx
Egyptian troops search Sinai villages for kidnapped soldiers: Eyewitness
Ahram Online , Tuesday 21 May 2013
Army, police and intelligence services search remote villages in Sinai Peninsula for seven security personnel kidnapped last week, eyewitness says
Troops have begun searching a number of desert villages in the Sinai Peninsula in their hunt for seven members of the security forces abducted last week, an eyewitness told Al-Ahram Arabic news website on Monday night.
“We don't expect them to be found in Al-Qouraey [one of the targetted villages, located 20km south of Arish] because it is in an exposed location,” the eyewitness, who claimed to be a member of the Sawarka tribe, added via an online message.
The eyewitness also said he had seen helicopters patrolling south and southwest of Rafah.
Seven Egyptian security personnel, including a member of the armed forces, four port security officers, and two state security officers, have been held by unidentified kidnappers in the Sinai Peninsula since Thursday.
It is the first time Egyptian security personnel have been abducted by Sinai-based militants.
According to the eyewitness, it is the first time since the January 25 Revolution that police and intelligence work has taken place in the remote desert areas of North Sinai.
“They (police and intelligence officers) are forming checkpoints with the army,” the eyewitness said.
On Sunday, President Morsi said "all options" remained open to secure the release of the kidnapped security personnel, stressing that Egypt would "not be blackmailed" by the captors.
Egyptian police have been the target of several attacks by Sinai Bedouins over the past two years.
People in Sinai have often complained of neglect and marginalisation by the authorities, especially after the revolution, and some have sought to take revenge against the security forces after years of heavy-handed security policies.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/71949.aspx
Campaign to free kidnapped Egypt soldiers to be launched 'any minute': Spokesman
Ahram Online, Tuesday 21 May 2013
Final stage of military campaign aimed at securing release of Egyptian soldiers kidnapped in Sinai will be launched 'any minute,' according to interior ministry spokesman
A military operation to free seven Egyptian security officers kidnapped last week in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula will be launched "any minute," Egyptian Interior Ministry spokesman Hani Abdul-Latif said at a Tuesday press conference, stressing that the abductees would not be harmed.
The seven security personnel – including a member of the armed forces, four port security officers and two state security officers – have been held by unidentified kidnappers in Sinai since their abduction last Thursday.
The kidnappings represent the first time for Egyptian security personnel to be abducted by Sinai-based militants, although kidnappings – usually of foreign tourists – have become rife in the restive border region.
According to Al-Ahram's Arabic-language news website, Abdul-Latif said the authorities knew the kidnappers by name.
"All but the final stage of the operation has been undertaken," Abdul-Latif was quoted as saying. "All that is left is the final confrontation, which will involve very delicate calculations."
Al-Ahram had earlier quoted a military source as saying that elements of Egypt's second and third armies – regional divisions of the Egyptian Armed Forces responsible for the Sinai Peninsula and Suez Canal – would take part in the imminent operation.
The same source went on to dismiss recent reports that the operation was already underway, while declining to reveal exactly when it would begin.
"Military operations cannot be conducted hastily or impulsively," the source was quoted as saying. "They are only carried out following close coordination between military and political leaders, after all peaceful channels – including negotiations – have been exhausted."
The source added: "The fact that troops are currently on the move doesn't mean the operation is already underway."
The same unnamed source went on to say that Egyptian police had also sent forces to Sinai specialised in hostage recovery to support military forces.
On Sunday, President Mohamed Morsi declared that "all options" remained open to the government to secure the release of the kidnapped soldiers, stressing that Egypt would "not be blackmailed" by the kidnappers.
In the two years since Egypt's January 2011 uprising, Egyptian police have been the target of several violent attacks by Sinai residents.
Sinai locals often complain of neglect and marginalisation by the central government in Cairo, especially following the revolution. Some have sought revenge against police deployed in the region following years of heavy-handed security policies under the ousted Mubarak regime.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/72022.aspx
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