Combatant Sisi arrives in Sinai while the Defence Minister is absent

Egyptian Defence Minister Sudqi Subhi did not join coup leader Abdel Al-Fattah Al-Sisi on his visit to northern Sinai on Saturday. Instead, he was accompanied by Gen. Mahmoud Hijazi, who in turn did accompany Subhi during a previous visit to those wounded in the Sinai attacks on Thursday while Sisi stayed away.

Observers have said that the separate visits by Sisi and Subhi to Sinai or the wounded in hospitals, and the absence of Sisi from the meeting of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces on Wednesday – a meeting that was headed by Subi, are quite unusual and out of the ordinary. Until recently, and since the 3 July 2013 coup the two men always appeared side by side.

They pointed out that the appearance of Sisi in military fatigue for the first time since he was nominated for the presidency in March 2014 reinforces the belief that a deep rift exists between the two men as part of the struggle between them over control of the army and its resources.

They added that the real authority within the army is effectively in the hands of the defence minister. However, Sisi controls the media and the Department of Morale Affairs. This explains why the press has focused on him and his activities, which are given front page coverage whereas the defence minister and his undertakings are ignored or just briefly reported in the inside pages of newspapers.

However, a significant development happened recently. A newspaper closely linked to the Egyptian Intelligence Services described Subhi as a combatant. It lavishly praised his directives and international visits. This is hardly an innocent glorification by a newspaper that is supposed to be a mouthpiece for the top-level circles.

Sisi appeared in military fatigue in one of the hide outs in northern Sinai on Saturday morning. He visited the Operations Centre of the Armed Forces in region where he inspected the weapons seized during the battles of Al-Sheikh Zuwayyid. He was keen to deliver a talk in which he said: “I have come to salute the heroes of the Armed Forces in appreciation of their work.”

Some press reports have said that Sisi tried to bring down Subhi by persuading him to relinquish his position voluntarily in exchange for a senior advisory position in Egypt. However, Subi was smarter than Sisi when he rejected all the offers made to him regarding the other positions. He held fast to his position as defence minister, the post he seems to be determined to stay in until he leaves for the Al-Ittihadiyah Presidential Palace as did Sisi before him.

The ‘combatant’ defence minister

In an unprecedented practice, Vito newspaper, which is close to the Intelligence Services, published a report on Friday under the headline “Sudqi Subhi, a defence minister with the rank of combatant” in which it hailed his military and political record.

The newspaper said: “Lt. Gen. Sudqi Subhi, the defence minister, held numerous talks and participated in several exercises. He also signed cooperation protocols with a number of states in order to bolster Egypt’s military strength, which is the real guarantor of the country’s internal and external security.”

It went on to say: “The Chief of Staff has been keen since the day he first undertook the task to assert Egyptian military prestige and to equip the armed forces so as to be ready for defending this homeland and for protecting its children.”

It added: “The Chief of Staff affirms, by means of the official statements issued by the military establishment, that the armed forces are keen to provide all resources needed for developing the capabilities and talents of its sons so as to face up to stands and challenges in accordance with the highest levels of know how and modernisation in all defence and combat systems within educations institutions.”

It also said: “The Chief of Staff conducted many discussions whether internally or externally, including with Italy, China, Russia, Pakistan, Greece, China, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.”

It also noted that those visits made by the Chief of Staff were aimed at the exchange of expertise in various fields and that he exchanged opinions regarding what the region is witnessing of changes and the impact of these changes on the regional and international arenas as well as agreement on the aspects of mutual cooperation in the fields of defence, the exchange of military expertise and joint exercises between the armed forces and those countries.

It went on to say: “As part of the contribution of the Armed forces and upon the directives of the Chief of Staff, the strategic and mobilisation exercise Badr 2014 was conducted.”

Mysterious and disciplined

Subhi is the 45th Defence Minister in Egypt’s modern history. He is known among army officers and troops for his “firm discipline”. Local Egyptian newspapers that are opposed to the military coup published reports asserting that he is more brutal and blood thirsty than the leader of the coup himself. He was in charge of the forceful storming and disbanding of Rabia (protest camp in Cairo) despite expectations that thousands would be killed in the process.

He is also quoted as expressing more extreme views regarding reconciliation with the Muslim Brotherhood and that he has been warning against giving the Islamists any opportunity to return and integrate once more into political life.

The Egyptian media reported that he dispatched envoys and sent message to a number of leaders of influential countries in the region, as well as to the Muslim Brotherhood itself, to gauge opinions as to whether he himself could be part of any future solution for the current crisis in Egypt. This has occurred amid talk about a growing state of restlessness and discontent within the ranks of the army due to the situation Sisi has led the country into.

Lt. Gen. Sudqi Subhi Sayyid Ahmad was born in 1955 in the city of Manouf, in the governorate of Manoufia. He occupies today the position of Chief of Staff of the Egyptian armed forces and the minister of defence and military industry as a successor to Field Marshall Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi who resigned from his post in order to stand for the presidential elections.

Upon assuming the position of Chief of Staff of the armed forces, one of the most important concerns for Sudqi was to improve the combat competence and physical fitness in order to build the fighting individual who is capable of performing the tasks assigned to him under various circumstances.

In July 2013, he took part in the coup undertaken by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces that topled the elected President Morsi.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.