Egyptian president vows to retake control of Sinai after attack
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 6 August 2012 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Egyptian president vows to retake control of Sinai after attack, 6 August 2012, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5025050423.html [accessed 27 October 2019] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
August 06, 2012
Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi
Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi has vowed he would retake "full control" of the Sinai after unidentified gunmen attacked a checkpoint on the Egyptian-Israeli border on August 5, killing 16 guards.
Israel said the attackers, in two vehicles, then tried to enter Israeli territory.
One vehicle apparently blew up at the crossing, while the other was destroyed in an Israeli air strike.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed "the determined action of the military" and domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet "for ensuring the failure of a large attack on Israeli civilians."
After an emergency meeting with Egyptian military and security officials, President Mursi told state television that orders had been given to our armed forces and police to chase and arrest those who carried out this assault.
A top Egyptian security official was quoted as saying the gunmen were "jihadists" who had infiltrated from the Gaza Strip.
State media said Egypt was closing its Rafah frontier crossing with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip "until further notice."
The attack is an early test for Mursi, who took office in June after Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in a popular uprising last year.
It could also complicate Cairo's relations with the Hamas militant group, which is close to Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood.
Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, and AP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
