عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Egypt Extends Nationwide State of Emergency for 3 Months

Woman wearing mask in Egyptian market (File photo: Reuters)
Woman wearing mask in Egyptian market (File photo: Reuters)
TT
TT

Egypt Extends Nationwide State of Emergency for 3 Months

Woman wearing mask in Egyptian market (File photo: Reuters)
Woman wearing mask in Egyptian market (File photo: Reuters)

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi extended on Tuesday the nationwide state of emergency for another three months, citing “dangerous” health and security conditions in the country.

"Given the serious health and security situation ... the state of emergency has been declared across the country for three months starting Tuesday, April 28," said a presidential decree.

Egypt has been under a state of emergency since April 2017 when twin church bombings in Alexandria claimed by ISIS affiliates killed dozens of people.

The Health Ministry confirmed 20 more fatalities from COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the national death toll to 337. The number of cases stands at 4,782, along with 1,236 recoveries.

Last week, the government announced that the curfew hours will be shortened during Ramadan month and will start at nine p.m. instead of eight p.m., till six a.m. It also announced a number of coronavirus precautionary measures.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli made an inspection tour to a number of development projects in Cairo, hinting that Egypt must “adapt” to living with coronavirus as part of precautionary measures.

Madbouli was accompanied by ministers of antiquities and tourism, local development and housing, and Cairo governor, among others.

The officials visited the construction sites of projects within the plans for urban expansion, and they inspected buildings that were illegally built during the curfew implemented to confront the coronavirus.

Speaking on the sideline of the tour, Madbouli said that economic development must continue, adding that a country like Egypt must continue to operate while taking precautionary measures to adapt to the emerging coronavirus.

He stressed that authorities will not allow random construction in this way, especially with highly-populated cities like Cairo, Giza, and Alexandria.

Madbouli also toured and inspected development project in Tahrir Square, as well as projects of Ain el-Sira groundwater lake and surrounding areas in Old Cairo.

He directed officials to increase works and swiftly complete the plans with the adoption of all preventive measures to counter the outbreak of the coronavirus.

In related news, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities followed up the preparations for the inauguration ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in 2021.

The supervising committee held its meeting to address issues of the inauguration and measures set to be taken to organize the parade.

Earlier this month, the President postponed the launch of the Museum due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Hezbollah Strikes Israeli Position over Ceasefire Breaches, Israel Vows ‘Strong’ Response

Flares are fired from northern Israel over the southern Lebanese border village of Aita al-Shaab, on October 28,2023. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
Flares are fired from northern Israel over the southern Lebanese border village of Aita al-Shaab, on October 28,2023. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
TT
TT

Hezbollah Strikes Israeli Position over Ceasefire Breaches, Israel Vows ‘Strong’ Response

Flares are fired from northern Israel over the southern Lebanese border village of Aita al-Shaab, on October 28,2023. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
Flares are fired from northern Israel over the southern Lebanese border village of Aita al-Shaab, on October 28,2023. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)

Hezbollah said it carried out a "defensive warning strike" on an Israeli military position in the disputed Shebaa Farms area on Monday, citing repeated Israeli ceasefire violations including airstrikes and shelling in Lebanon.

The Israeli military said Hezbollah launched two missiles but caused no casualties.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel would respond "strongly" to the strike.

Earlier, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli forces fired two artillery shells towards the southern Lebanese town of Beit Lif in the Bint Jbeil district, while heavy machine gun fire targeted Yaroun.

No injuries were reported in either incident, NNA said, but a separate Israeli strike injured others in the town of Talousa.

Lebanese authorities also said Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon killed at least two people on Monday as the ceasefire, which follows more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, appeared increasingly fragile.

Lebanon has accused Israel of committing at least 50 violations of the ceasefire.

The truce, which came into effect early on Nov. 27, stipulates that Israel will not carry out offensive military operations against civilian, military or other state targets in Lebanon, while Lebanon will prevent any armed groups, including Hezbollah, from carrying out operations against Israel.

Lebanon and Israel have already traded accusations of breaches, and on Monday Lebanon said the violations had turned deadly.

One person was killed in an Israeli air attack on the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun, about 10 km (6 miles) from Israel's northern border, Lebanon's health ministry said.

Lebanon's state security said an Israeli drone strike had killed a member of its force while he was on duty in Nabatieh, 12 km from the border. State security called it a "flagrant violation" of the truce.

The Lebanese army said an Israeli drone hit an army bulldozer in northeast Lebanon near the border with Syria, wounding one soldier.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to questions about the incidents in Marjayoun and Nabatieh.

It issued a statement saying it had attacked military vehicles operating near Hezbollah military infrastructure in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley and military vehicles near the border with Syria.

The Israeli military acknowledged that a Lebanese soldier was wounded in one of its attacks and said the incident was under review.

Lebanon's parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah and Beirut's main interlocutor in the ceasefire talks, said Lebanon had logged at least 54 Israeli violations so far.

In a statement issued by his office, Berri urged the committee tasked with monitoring the ceasefire to "urgently" begin work, and to "oblige" Israel to halt its violations and withdraw troops from Lebanese land.

The ceasefire deal stipulates that a monitoring mechanism hosted by the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon and chaired by the United States would "monitor, verify and assist in ensuring enforcement" of the ceasefire.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar denied that his country had breached the accord, saying the problem lay with Hezbollah moving weapons and crossing south of the Litani river, in defiance of last week's deal.

"Israel is committed to the successful implementation of the ceasefire, but we will not accept a return to the situation as it stood on October 6, 2023. If violations occur, Israel will enforce (the pact)," he said in a statement.

Public broadcaster Kan and other Israeli media outlets reported on Monday that US envoy Amos Hochstein, who brokered the ceasefire after weeks of shuttle diplomacy, had warned Israel against alleged violations.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Monday that Israel must deal Hezbollah a "powerful blow" after he said it made a "big mistake" by firing at Israeli territory.