Traces of Mosque Massacre to Be Removed by Development Plan

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Traces of Mosque Massacre to Be Removed by Development Plan

Egypt has taken its first steps to remove the traces of the "massacre of worshipers," which killed 305 people (including 27 children) in the province of North Sinai last Friday.

Egypt’s Presidency of the Council of Ministers announced Sunday a "comprehensive development plan for Bir al-Abed,” where the incident took place, as well as the dispatch of medical teams to psychologically rehabilitate the affected people who lost many of their relatives, the wounded and the survivors.

Acting Prime Minister Dr. Mustafa Madbouli said that the government will be quick in implementing all the procedures related to the follow-up of the accident and its consequences.

He said that among the most important steps are the establishment of the Urban Planning Body to develop a comprehensive development plan for the center of Bir al-Abed to meet all the different developmental needs in this region, as well as continue to follow up on the health situation of the injured and provide all necessary services to the citizens, including the availability of food items.

The terrorist attack led to the injury of 128 persons, and the public prosecution said that between 25 and 30 gunmen raising black flags attacked the worshipers at al-Rawda mosque and shot them randomly.

Minister of Health Ahmed Emad displayed during a meeting with Ministers of Solidarity and Local Development, the Governor of North Sinai and representatives of NGOs the health follow-up procedures, which included “moving a large number of ambulances, about 199 cars, that took the injured and the corps between Rawda village and Bir al-Abed and Arish hospital, then Ismailia Public Hospital, and then to both Dar al-Shifa Hospital and Institute of Nasser in Cairo.”

He said that 305 died, of whom 11 died during their transfer to hospitals outside North Sinai, adding that the teams of the ministry and hospitals ended the surgical intervention for all cases, and two paramedics died while performing prayers in al-Rawda mosque.

The Presidency also decided to take "urgent measures" to support the families of the victims, including dispensing LE 10,000 and LE 5000 in compensation to the family of each worshiper, whose life has been claimed and each injured victim, respectively.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi ordered the government to allocate compensation for the families of the victims of the terror attack.

A statement issued by the cabinet said that the family of each martyr would receive a compensation of LE 200,000 and every injured would receive LE 50,000.



Syria Announces 200 Percent Public Sector Wage, Pension Increase

FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo
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Syria Announces 200 Percent Public Sector Wage, Pension Increase

FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo

Syria announced on Sunday a 200 percent hike in public sector wages and pensions, as it seeks to address a grinding economic crisis after the recent easing of international sanctions.

Over a decade of civil war has taken a heavy toll on Syria's economy, with the United Nations reporting more than 90 percent of its people live in poverty.

In a decree published by state media, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a "200 percent increase to salaries and wages... for all civilian and military workers in public ministries, departments and institutions.”

Under the decree, the minimum wage for government employees was raised to 750,000 Syrian pounds per month, or around $75, up from around $25, AFP reported.

A separate decree granted the same 200 percent increase to retirement pensions included under current social insurance legislation.

Last month, the United States and European Union announced they would lift economic sanctions in a bid to help the country's recovery.

Also in May, Syria's Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh said Qatar would help it pay some public sector salaries.

The extendable arrangement was for $29 million a month for three months, and would cover "wages in the health, education and social affairs sectors and non-military" pensions, he had said.

Barnieh had said the grant would be managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and covered around a fifth of current wages and salaries.

Syria has some 1.25 million public sector workers, according to official figures.