Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has called for a pan-Arab military force to fight the Islamic State (ISIS).
Speaking a week after Egypt bombed ISIS positions in Libya in retaliation for the terrorist army’s execution of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians, al-Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said he believes in “coordination with our Arab brothers.”
Judging by the Egyptian military’s far from superior past, it is no wonder the former general wants allies.
Historically, Egypt has had a dismal record in hostage situations. Unfortunately, the February crisis has been the norm, rather than the exception. Failures in negotiating the safe release of hostages have started from the 1970s, with its bloodiest result in 1985,” Dr. Omar Ashour, a senior lecturer in security studies at the University of Exeter wrote for Al Jazeera.
The attack on Libya last week boosted Al-Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s popularity but also raises questions why he did not act sooner, before the hostages were beheaded.
The aerial strikes also served to bury to put on the back burner, temporarily, at home, where he has been harshly criticized for detaining thousands of people for alleged terrorism during the crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood.
Al-Sisi admitted in his televised speech on Sunday, “I am sure there are many innocent people inside prisons. Soon many of them will be released according to the available permissions.”