In a new development of the situation in Sinai, Al-Sawarka tribe announced its participation in the fight against Sinai Province, according to a statement issued by Al-Sawarka on Monday. Al-Sawarka asserted its support to the Egyptian armed forces in the battle against the militants and the formation of a central joint leadership for the tribes in order to coordinate with the armed forces and change the rules of engagement. The tribe accused the Islamic State of implementing a plan aiming to divide the region into small countries where people kill each other. "The extremists are controlled by foreign intelligence, which have political agendas," the statement claimed. "Al-Sawarka was at the forefront of the battle against the extremists since the military forces started the battle and the first civilian martyrs were from Al-Sawarka," it said. The tribe announced that it will rely on a media mobilisation, which will be run by experts belonging to the tribes, and establishing an official institution to support the families of the ones killed or injured with stable funding. At the beginning of May, another prominent Sinai tribe, Al-Tarabine, had declared war upon Sinai Province after the militant group killed some of its members.
