Cairo - Egyptian President 'Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi' and German Chancellor 'Angela Merkel' on Friday discussed anti-terrorism cooperation in the wake recent deadly attacks in their countries. Both leaders "affirmed solidarity" in combatting terrorism in a phone call, a statement from al-Sissi's office said. "President al-Sissi and Chancellor Merkel condemned the terrorist attacks that recently took place in Egypt and Germany, which require all peace-loving nations and peoples to collaborate so as to face terrorism," the English-language statement added. Last month, a suspected Tunisian national with links to extremist Islamist groups ploughed a truck into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people. Egypt has seen a spate of deadly attacks targeting mainly security forces since 2013 when the army, led at the time by al-Sissi, deposed Islamist president Mohammed Morsi following mass protests against his rule. In their conversation on Friday, al-Sissi and Merkel also discussed ties between the two countries, according to the presidential statement. It said that preparations were under way for a visit by the German chancellor to Egypt expected in the first quarter of this year. "It [the visit] will give strong momentum to bilateral relations," the statement said without details. Al-Sissi visited Germany in June 2015.
