Sisi Tells Blinken That Egypt Opposes Escalation, Backs Lebanon Following Blasts 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, Egypt, September 18, 2024. (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, Egypt, September 18, 2024. (Reuters)
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Sisi Tells Blinken That Egypt Opposes Escalation, Backs Lebanon Following Blasts 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, Egypt, September 18, 2024. (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, Egypt, September 18, 2024. (Reuters)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Cairo rejects any attempts at escalation in the region and supports Lebanon following the pager blasts, the Egyptian presidency said on Wednesday. 

At least nine people were killed and nearly 3,000 wounded when pagers used by Hezbollah members detonated simultaneously across Lebanon on Tuesday. 

"The President affirmed Egypt's rejection of attempts to escalate the conflict and expand its scope regionally, pointing out the need for all parties to act responsibly, and reaffirming Egypt's support for Lebanon", the statement added. 

Blinken is visiting Egypt hoping to advance efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and strengthen ties with Cairo. 



Erdogan Says Türkiye Can ‘Crush’ All Terrorists in Syria, Calls for Foreign Powers to ‘Take Hands Off’

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a press conference during the G20 Leaders' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 19, 2024. (AFP)
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a press conference during the G20 Leaders' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 19, 2024. (AFP)
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Erdogan Says Türkiye Can ‘Crush’ All Terrorists in Syria, Calls for Foreign Powers to ‘Take Hands Off’

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a press conference during the G20 Leaders' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 19, 2024. (AFP)
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a press conference during the G20 Leaders' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 19, 2024. (AFP)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday urged all countries to "take their hands off" Syria and said Turkey had the capacity and ability to crush all terrorist organizations in the country, including Kurdish militia and ISIS.

Speaking in parliament, Erdogan said the Kurdish YPG militia was the biggest problem in Syria now after the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad.

The group would not be able to escape its inevitable end unless it lays down its arms, he stressed.