Egypt's army chief Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi commended the tribes of the western border regions of Matrouh and Saloum for surrendering unlicensed arms. On Sunday, Egypt's state news agency MENA reported that more than 1,500 pieces of weaponry had been surrendered to the military forces by tribes in the border area, 240 kilometers west of Alexandria, which is known for weapon-smuggling. "I thank, with all appreciation, the tribes of the western district for their patriotic role in [surrendering] arms and ammunition," El-Sisi said, "setting an example for all Egypt's tribes on the importance of surrendering arms." The surrendered weapons, according to MENA, included surface-to-surface missiles. El-Sisi, during a brief speech Monday while attending military training by the western division of the armed forces, also called on tribes in the Sinai Peninsula bordering Israel and Gaza to follow the example of their Matrouh counterparts. "I call on all tribes of North and South Sinai and Upper Egyptto surrender arms for the sake of stability and safety of citizens," El-Sisi said. Egypt's closeknit Bedouin tribes have long been involved in conflict with security forces. They also face official discrimination; they have been barred from owning land, joining the military and live in areas lacking state services. Source : Ahram
