Sisi renews Sinai state of emergency for 10th time

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has issued a presidential decree extending the state of emergency and a partial curfew in some areas in Northern Sinai, Anadolu reported on Tuesday, citing the state-owned MENA news agency. The three-month renewal is the tenth since October 2015, when the state of emergency was initially imposed in reaction to a militant attack that killed 33 security personnel.

The presidential decree, which appeared in the official Gazette, will be effective from 30 January, subject to parliamentary approval, which is virtually guaranteed. It declares a curfew in the specified areas from 7 pm to 4 am, except in El-Arish and the international road from Maydan, where the curfew will start at 1 am and end at 3 am.

According to the decree, the Armed Forces and the police are responsible for taking the measures necessary to confront terrorism, maintain security in the area and protect public and private property, as well as civilian lives.

Since September 2013, the Egyptian police and army have waged a widespread campaign to pursue and fight “terrorists and takfiris” in a number of provinces, especially Sinai. The authorities accuse “terrorists” of targeting security personnel and their bases in the peninsula.