Egypt’s Al-Sisi Steps Closer to Run for Presidency

The man behind the Egyptian military as it unseated Hosni Mubarak and later Mohamed Morsi from the presidency has moved closer to his own candidacy with word that he has received a green light from his military cohorts. Field Marshal Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi is considered the runaway favorite to win the election even though he has not yet declared his intention to run. Al-Sisi’s promotion from general to field marshal came on the same day that he received his nod from the ruling generals, an apparent gift to the Sisi campaign. When he makes his candidacy official, Al-Sisi will step down as defense minister and as an active member of the military. Meanwhile, the Egyptian military began a new campaign aimed at hideouts, houses and vehicles belonging to Islamist groups in the northern Sinai Peninsula after an army helicopter was shot down on Sunday. The groups are believed to have recently obtained shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles which are considered a game-changer in the fight against terror in that area.