عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Egypt’s Awqaf Ministry: Opening of Mosques Depends on People Wearing Masks

The Egyptian cabinet meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. (Facebook)
The Egyptian cabinet meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. (Facebook)
TT
20
TT

Egypt’s Awqaf Ministry: Opening of Mosques Depends on People Wearing Masks

The Egyptian cabinet meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. (Facebook)
The Egyptian cabinet meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. (Facebook)

Egypt’s Ministry of Awqaf has linked the continued opening of mosques with people’s abidance by the health measures amid the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic.

Awqaf Minister Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said the country’s supreme committee tasked with managing the pandemic decides the opening or closure of institutions during the health crisis, including places of worship.

He affirmed that his ministry is committed to the decisions issued by the committee in this regard.

All mosques are regularly being disinfected, Gomaa stressed, noting that the toilets in mosques will not be opened and only people wearing masks will be allowed to enter.

The Minister explained that if people do not abide by the simplest health measure, which is wearing masks, the mosques will not be opened.

Meanwhile, the government stressed Tuesday the importance of the implementation of necessary preventive measures to fight the pandemic, the most important of which is wearing masks.

During a weekly cabinet session, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered relevant authorities to fine violators of the health protocols.

Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar pointed out that university hospitals have been providing their services to patients, adding that the availability of necessary medications and medical supplies is monitored on a daily basis in accordance with the announced protocols.

In the same context, the Health Ministry underscored the hospitals’ readiness to confront the second wave of the coronavirus by developing the infrastructure of 44 hospitals and gas networks, providing 100 oxygen tanks, increasing the capacity by 7,500 beds, 1,500 intensive care beds and 325 ventilators, as well as adding 17 computed tomography (CT) machines.

According to a recent statement by the Health Ministry, 202 recovered patients were discharged from hospitals after receiving the necessary medical care.

The ministry said 415 new cases were recorded as well as 19 deaths, raising the infection tally to 118,847, including 103,703 recoveries and 6,790 fatalities.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Yemen's Houthis Allege US Airstrike Hit a Prison Holding Migrants

Yemeni soldiers walk amid the rubble as they inspect a damaged area after US airstrikes targeted a neighborhood in Sana'a, Yemen, 27 April 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARH
Yemeni soldiers walk amid the rubble as they inspect a damaged area after US airstrikes targeted a neighborhood in Sana'a, Yemen, 27 April 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARH
TT
20
TT

Yemen's Houthis Allege US Airstrike Hit a Prison Holding Migrants

Yemeni soldiers walk amid the rubble as they inspect a damaged area after US airstrikes targeted a neighborhood in Sana'a, Yemen, 27 April 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARH
Yemeni soldiers walk amid the rubble as they inspect a damaged area after US airstrikes targeted a neighborhood in Sana'a, Yemen, 27 April 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARH

Yemen’s Houthi militant group on Monday alleged a US airstrike hit a prison holding African migrants, killing and wounding some of the 100 inmates held there. The US military had no immediate comment.

The strike in Yemen's Saada governorate, a stronghold for the Houthis, is the latest incident in the country's decadelong war.

It also likely will renew questions from activists about the American campaign, known as “Operation Rough Rider,” which has been targeting the group as the Trump administration negotiates with their main benefactor, Iran, over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.

The US military's Central Command in a statement early Monday before news of the alleged strike broke sought to defend its policy of offering no specific details of its extensive airstrike campaign.

“To preserve operational security, we have intentionally limited disclosing details of our ongoing or future operations,” Central Command said. “We are very deliberate in our operational approach, but will not reveal specifics about what we’ve done or what we will do.”

It did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press about the alleged strike in Saada.

Graphic footage shows aftermath of explosion

Graphic footage aired by the Houthis' al-Masirah satellite news channel showed what appeared to be dead bodies and others wounded at the site. An al-Masirah correspondent said some 100 migrants had been detained at the site.

Casualty figures weren’t immediately clear. However, footage from the site analyzed by the AP suggested some kind of explosion took place there, with its cement walls seemingly peppered by debris fragments and the wounds suffered by those there.

A woman's voice, soft in the footage, can be heard repeating the start of a prayer in Arabic: “In the name of God.” An occasional gunshot rang out as medics sought to help those wounded.

US military says over 800 strikes conducted in campaign so far

Meanwhile, US airstrikes overnight targeting Yemen's capital killed at least eight people, the Houthis said. The American military acknowledged carrying out over 800 individual strikes in their monthlong campaign.

The overnight statement from the US military's Central Command also said its “Operation Roughrider” targeting the Houthis had “killed hundreds of fighters and numerous Houthi leaders,” including those associated with its missile and drone program. It did not identify any of those officials.

“Iran undoubtedly continues to provide support to the Houthis,” the statement said. “The Houthis can only continue to attack our forces with the backing of the Iranian regime.”

"We will continue to ratchet up the pressure until the objective is met, which remains the restoration of freedom of navigation and American deterrence in the region," it added.

The US is targeting the Houthis because of the group’s attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial global trade route, and on Israel. The Houthis also are the last militant group in Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance” that is capable of regularly attacking Israel.