Egypt's Sisi vows to eradicate terror in Sinai

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has vowed to accomplish the goals of the ongoing Sinai anti-terror operation as soon as possible and to fulfil Sinai comprehensive development project with over $15 billion by 2022.

In an event organised by the armed forces on Saturday, Sisi expressed gratitude to Sinai residents for enduring the hard times of the anti-terror security campaign in the peninsula, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We are totally aware that terrorism also exists outside Sinai," the president told a seminar organised by the military on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of Sinai Liberation Day.

The Egyptian army in cooperation with the police started on February 9 a massive anti-terror security campaign named "Sinai 2018," which left so far some 240 terrorists and about 33 soldiers dead.

Sisi said that the residents of Sinai are not to bear the responsibility for the acts of "the people of evil," referring to terrorists and their supporters.

The Egyptian President said in late February that Sinai comprehensive development operation has already started since 2014 and will continue until 2022.

--IANS

pgh/