Al-Watan, Egypt, March 18
The Egyptian government has not been getting the credit it deserves for its counter-terrorism efforts, despite fighting the war on terror on behalf of the entire Arab world. On both its eastern border, in the Sinai Peninsula, and its western border, along Libya, Egypt has been facing incessant attacks carried out by armed militia groups. These terrorists seek to turn not only Egypt, but the entire Middle East, into a war zone ruled by armed rebels and governed by Islamic Law. Sadly, we have already witnessed this happening in places like Syrian and Yemen, and, to a great degree, in countries like Iraq and Lebanon more recently. In order to protect their country’s sovereignty and the sovereignty of all free nations in the region, the Egyptian Armed Forces have invested great efforts in fighting and dismantling the terrorist infrastructure in these regions. These proved to be challenging tasks, however. Sinai alone has become a breeding ground for terrorism, after groups like the Islamic State established an extensive array of bases, tunnels, and weapon caches throughout the area. It is from these bases that armed rebels conducted the infamous attack on the Al-Rawda mosque last November, killing over 300 innocent worshipers during their Friday prayers. In the past few weeks, the Egyptian government launched its biggest-ever operation aimed at eradicating terrorism, with forces across all branches—from the Air Force to the Border Police—working together to target terrorist hotbeds. If Egypt fails in its effort to restore stability to its borders then the entire region will fail. With the largest Army in the Middle East and the most sophisticated counter-terrorism strategies, it is up to Cairo to stop these groups from extending their foothold in the region. The Arab world would be wise to recognize this reality and aid the Egyptian government in its efforts. – Suan al-Shaer