Egypt’s army raised state of alert on borders with Libya

Egyptian army raised a state of alert on the western borders with Libya, as it launched security campaigns against the extremist militants loyal to ISIS to prevent them from providing any support for the terrorist groups working inside the Libyan territories.

The Egyptian air force destroyed nine four-wheel-drive vehicles loaded with weapons on the western borders shared with Libya, the Ministry of Defense announced on Monday. These military operations come within the framework of the armed forces and its major branches’ efforts in maintaining the security of the national borders at all strategic levels. The airstrikes were launched after receiving intelligence regarding the existence of terrorists near Egypt’s western borders. 

The air forces combed the border over the past 48 hours in an attempt to detect enemy targets and neutralize them on the command of the General Command of the Armed Forces. Border guard elements are pursuing, prosecuting and arresting criminal elements. 

In cooperation with law enforcement forces of the second field army, the air force launched a new strike that targeted a high-risk terrorist outpost, which was used as a base for the launching of "takfiri" elements and included the storage of weapons and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The strike led to the complete destruction of the compound near the border in Rafah, North Sinai.

Egyptian security forces increased its security measures during the last few hours in an attempt to end the series of terrorist attacks inflicting the country over the past couple of weeks.

Egyptian army killed on Sunday nine militants which it described as “extremely dangerous” in central Sinai and destroyed a number of ammunition storehouses belonging to them.

In response, Minister of Interior Magdy Abdul Ghaffar ordered his aides to increase their security measures especially around churches and public facilities and areas.

Dozens of soldiers, police officers and foreigners were killed and injured during the past few days during terrorist attacks at resorts in the north of Sinai, al-Giza and al-Ghardaqah. The attacks occurred as Egypt has a declared state of emergency since last April.

A highly informed security commander told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the increase in terrorist attacks in the country recently is due to Egypt’s boycott of relations with Qatar.

He added that terrorist groups increased their attacks after Qatar and its relations with these groups have been exposed. Recent investigations with terrorists apprehended revealed they have contact with Doha.

Earlier last month, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, and Bahrain cut their ties with Doha for supporting and financing extremists organizations in the region, primarily the “banned” Muslim Brotherhood.

Dozens of people had been enrolled on the list of terrorists for their relations with Qatar.

Armed Forces Spokesman Tamer al-Rifai said that the forces killed three militants and arrested another, in addition to destroying a vehicle and five depots containing ammunition and explosives, in central Sinai.

He added that the troops of field army forces managed to destroy a vehicle loaded with large amounts of explosives and killed six armed extremists at a mountainous area in central Sinai.

On Egypt’s western border with Libya, warplanes attacked and destroyed 15 four-wheel-drive vehicles carrying weapons, ammunition, and contraband.

The Egyptian air forces destroyed on Sunday the 15 vehicles before they infiltrated into Egypt, raising the number of such destroyed vehicles since May to 42. The air strikes took place following intelligence revealed that criminal subjects were gathering to sneak into Egypt.

On the political side, According to sources from the media, the former Libyan Prime Minister, Ali Zeidan, has been released from his detention in Tripoli. Zeidan was arrested from his hotel in Dahra in Tripoli on August 14 by security forces allied to the Presidential Council, citing an arrest warrant by the Tripoli Attorney General’s Office, which was denied by Zeidan relatives.

“Zeidan is out and safe.” One close source to his son wrote on her Facebook page. Zeidan has been away from Libya – in Germany as he has dual citizenship – for three years, he returned and met with many Libyan parties in different cities before he came to Tripoli.