By: Ashraf Sadek CAIRO, March 9, 2018 -President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, accompanied by senior Government officials and top army officers, performed Friday prayers at the Field Marshal Tantawi Mosque in New Cairo on Fridayday. President Sisi's appearance at the Mosque coincided with Egypt's marking Martyr's Day, celebrated on March 9 each year. Before the prayer, Dr. Osama el-Azhari, the President's Religious Affairs Advisor, delivered a sermon in which he said that Egyptians would always remember the honourable martyrs of the nation and hail their immaculate souls. Dr. Azhari also said that the Egypt would never forget those illustrious martyrs, their sons and families. He added that the Egyptians would view with admiration the sacrifices of the brave men of the Armed Forces and Police in their efforts to clear the Sinai Peninsula of the evil of terrorism and extremism. Following the prayer, President Sisi, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, chaired a meeting attended by Defence Minister General Sedki Sobhi, Interior Minister Major-General Magdi Abdel Ghafar and senior army and police officers. President Sisi and the senior officers reviewed the latest developments in Operation Sinai 2018, which was launched February 9 in pursuance of earlier rounds in the war on terrorism which carried the name of The Martyr's Right that began in 2016. The present operation, which has a comprehensive and intensive framework, is a massive anti-terror operation targeting terrorist and criminal in central and northern Sinai as well as areas in the Nile Delta and the Western Desert. Sinai 2018, which involves land, sea, air forces, and police troops, comes within the purview of President Sisi's orders to the Armed Forces to eliminate terrorism. During the meeting, President Sisi directed the Armed Forces and the police to maintain efforts to eradicate terrorism. He also paid tribute to the patriotic role of the Armed Forces and police in the service of the nation. President Sisi directed all security agencies to remain on full alert in order to guarantee the security of the homeland and the safety of citizens. President Sisi praised the efforts made by the Armed Forces and the police in confronting terrorist elements nationwide. The President also asserted the need to continue and intensify such efforts to confront terrorism strongly and decisively.
