Egypt Celebrates Anniversary of Muslim Brotherhood Overthrow, Awaits Launch of National Dialogue

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi speaks during a joint statement with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades after a trilateral summit between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt, in Athens, Greece, October 19, 2021 REUTERS/Costas Baltas
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi speaks during a joint statement with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades after a trilateral summit between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt, in Athens, Greece, October 19, 2021 REUTERS/Costas Baltas
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Egypt Celebrates Anniversary of Muslim Brotherhood Overthrow, Awaits Launch of National Dialogue

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi speaks during a joint statement with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades after a trilateral summit between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt, in Athens, Greece, October 19, 2021 REUTERS/Costas Baltas
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi speaks during a joint statement with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades after a trilateral summit between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt, in Athens, Greece, October 19, 2021 REUTERS/Costas Baltas

Egypt’s official authorities celebrated on Monday the 9th anniversary of the June 30 Revolution, which overthrew the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood organization.

In an official greeting message addressed to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said: “The June 30 revolution represents a significant day in the life of the Egyptian people, who rose up against the forces of evil and darkness that hijacked the country.”

The prime minister noted that the revolution “will remain a milestone in Egyptian history, as millions of Egyptians took to the streets, demonstrating against plans to abolish the identity of the country and prejudice its security and capabilities.”

He added that the government would maintain the process of work and construction, under the leadership of Sisi, to achieve development goals and enhance Egypt’s position at the regional and global levels.

For his part, General Mohamed Zaki, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Minister of Defense and Military Production, stressed that the Egyptian army under the leadership of Sisi (then-Defense minister) “confirmed its complete support to the will of the Egyptian people and defense of the sanctity of the homeland and the integrity of its lands.”

Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees of the National Dialogue Administration, which includes 19 members, continued preparations for its upcoming sessions, ahead of the country’s national dialogue.

The Board has been appointed after a 20-day consultation among politicians, trade union officials, political parties’ members and representatives participating in this dialogue.

In recent remarks, El-Sisi said that the national dialogue was aimed at listening to people’s opinions for “the sake of the nation.”

The initiative comes as part of Sisi’s national human rights strategy, launched in September with vows to open the public space to be more and more inclusive. As such, hundreds of inmates, including dozens of human rights activists, have recently been released by the Presidential Pardon Committee.



Syrian Police Impose Curfew in Homs after Unrest

Syrian children play on a damaged tank in Homs, on December 20, 2024. (AFP)
Syrian children play on a damaged tank in Homs, on December 20, 2024. (AFP)
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Syrian Police Impose Curfew in Homs after Unrest

Syrian children play on a damaged tank in Homs, on December 20, 2024. (AFP)
Syrian children play on a damaged tank in Homs, on December 20, 2024. (AFP)

Syrian police have imposed an overnight curfew in the city of Homs, state media reported, after unrest there linked to demonstrations that residents said were led by members of the minority Alawite and Shiite communities.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the demands of the demonstrators nor the degree of disturbance that took place.

Some residents said the demonstrations were linked to pressure and violence in recent days aimed at members of the Alawite minority, a sect long seen as loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled by opposition fighters on Dec. 8.

Spokespeople for Syria’s new ruling administration led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the curfew.

State media said the curfew was being imposed for one night, from 6pm (1500 GMT) local time until 8am on Thursday morning.

The country's new leaders have repeatedly vowed to protect minority religious groups.

Small demonstrations also took place in other areas on or near Syria’s coast, where most of the country’s Alawite minority live, including in the city of Tartous.

The demonstrations took place around the time an undated video was circulated on social networks showing a fire inside an Alawite shrine in the city of Aleppo, with armed men walking around inside and posing near human bodies.

The interior ministry said on its official Telegram account that the video dated back to the opposition offensive on Aleppo in late November and the violence was carried out by unknown groups, adding that whoever was circulating the video now appeared to be seeking to incite sectarian strife.

The ministry also said that some members of the former regime had attacked interior ministry forces in Syria’s coastal area on Wednesday, leaving a number of dead and wounded.