Egyptian authorities on Sunday began implementing the decision of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to step up and extend security measures in some areas of the Sinai Peninsula, to “preserve security and protect facilities,” for another six months after the approval of Parliament.
The Egyptian House of Representatives, headed by Counselor Dr. Hanafi Jabali, approved last Wednesday the Presidential Decision No. 130 of 2022, regarding imposing some or all measures in some areas of the Sinai Peninsula, for another six months.
The decision extends the provisions of the Presidential Decree No. 442 of 2021. It was approved by a majority of the Parliament's members.
The decision was put in action starting Sunday, April 3, 2022.
Additional measures in the Sinai region included imposing a curfew and evacuating some residences.
On October 24, Sisi announced cancelling the state of emergency imposed on the whole country since 2017, justifying that Egypt “has become an oasis” of security and stability in the region. Meanwhile, the state of emergency in Sinai has been in place since 2014.
The new six-month extension of the state of emergency in the Sinai Peninsula will witness additional security measures.
Apart from the curfew and the evacuation, the string of measures will include a ban of entry to some areas and the barring of some communication means. Possession and obtaining some materials will also be prohibited as well as riding motorbikes.
Studies at Sinai Peninsula schools will either be partially or completely suspended.
The second article of the Presidential Decree included the imposition of a curfew in the areas specified by the Minister of Defense.
The curfew decision will be applied on areas from Tal Rafah in the eastern part of the Sinai Peninsula along the international border to Awja in the eastern part at Mount Halal. The curfew is also applicable in parts of northern Sinai, particularly from western Arish to southern Mount Halal.
