Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said Sunday that his country “will not be defeated by a war from the outside,” while also underlining his rejection of “reconciling” with the Muslim Brotherhood, which Cairo has blacklisted as a terrorist group.
“I cannot reconcile with those who want to destroy the country and harm its people,” he declared during an armed forces cultural event marking Egypt’s victory in the October 6, 1976 war.
“You are welcome to argue with me, but when it comes to killing and destroying the lives of 100 million Egyptian people, then how can I reconcile with you?” he asked while indirectly referring to the Muslim Brotherhood.
He dismissed all calls for reconciliation with the group, which the authorities banned as terrorist in 2013.
Sisi said that Egypt was witnessing a threat to its “state stability”, vowing that he will protect it.
“Direct wars used to be adopted in the past to destroy, defeat and obstruct the progress of a state. Now, new generations of wars are dealing with our challenges and issues and exploiting them before the public, who can be used as a tool for destruction,” he warned.
“Egypt cannot be destroyed by war from the outside,” he remarked.