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A10 WORLD NEWS
Monday 23 october 2017

Egypt’s el-Sissi vows to quash terrorism after police ambush

ficiency, until it’s curbed.” dia outlets, allegedly of po-
His comments come as a licemen who took part in the
cloud of ambiguity still hov- operation. The speakers on
ers over the police raid gone the recordings can be heard
wrong; a lack of information, pleading for help.
charges of incompetence and In a statement, the Interior
conflicting accounts by of- Ministry said that the sources
ficials to media outlets mark of the audio recordings are
the incident. not known and that they car-
The ambush began when se- ried “unrealistic details that
curity forces acting on intel- have nothing to do with the
ligence moved against a pur- reality.” It also warned against
ported militant hideout some circulating such recordings
135 kilometers outside Cairo. and sowing confusion.
Backed by armored person- No militant group immedi-
nel carriers and led by senior ately claimed responsibil-
counterterrorism officers, ity for the attack which took
the police contingent drew place near Egypt’s vast west-
fire and rocket-propelled gre- ern desert, where a previous
nades, according to the secu- series of attacks were blamed
rity officials. What happened on Islamic militants pouring in
In this photo provided by Egypt’s state news agency, MENA, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el- next has not been clarified, from Libya. Meanwhile, a lo-
Sissi, center, chairs a meeting attended by the country’s top security officials, including defense
and interior ministry representatives, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt’s president but many officers were killed cal affiliate of the Islamic State
vowed on Sunday to press ahead with the country’s war against terrorism, secure borders and and others injured. group is spearheading an in-
hunt down militants. The confusion around the in- surgency across the country
(MENA via AP) cident sparked a debate on and in the Sinai Peninsula.
By MAGGIE MICHAEL nearly 48 hours after authori- possible to reconcile the con- social media, with Egyptians Rights advocates argue that
Associated Press ties officially announced that flicting reports. divided over who to blame. the authorities’ heavy crack-
CAIRO (AP) — In his first re- at least 16 policemen were Chairing a meeting attended Many suggested that the po- down on Islamists in the af-
marks after a deadly attack killed in a brazen ambush by by the country’s top secu- lice force had been infiltrated termath of the 2013 military
on the country’s police force, militants southwest of Cairo. rity officials, including de- by Islamists given that some ouster of Islamist President
Egypt’s president vowed on Security officials told The As- fense and interior minis- security officials said the am- Mohammed Morsi has fueled
Sunday to press ahead with sociated Press and other me- try representatives, el-Sissi bush was carefully planned. an insurgency. Hundreds of
the country’s war against ter- dia outlets that the death toll said: “Egypt will continue its Along with conflicting reports Islamists were killed in mass
rorism, secure its borders and reached 54, making it one confrontation against ter- of the death toll, authorities demonstrations demand-
hunt down militants. of the worst attacks against rorism and those financing have also denied the authen- ing Morsi’s return after his
President Abdel-Fattah el- Egypt’s police in years. How- and standing behind it, with ticity of audio recordings, ouster, while thousands were
Sissi El-Sissi’s remarks came ever, it wasn’t immediately strength, decisiveness and ef- aired by pro-government me- jailed. q

Jordan’s king endorses Palestinian reconciliation deal

By JOSEF FEDERMAN 2007, leaving Abbas with The U.S. and Israel say an ence through its powerful pressed a “strong desire”
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — autonomous enclaves in unrepentant Hamas can- military wing. It is unclear to help American peace
Jordan’s king on Sunday the Israeli-occupied West not be part of a Palestinian whether that will satisfy the efforts and improve condi-
endorsed a fledgling Pales- Bank. The palace said that government. They each international community. tions for Palestinians in the
tinian reconciliation agree- the king “affirmed Jordan’s have reiterated long-stand- Last week, White House West Bank and Gaza.
ment that is meant to end full support for this agree- ing demands by the inter- Mideast envoy Jason “The United States wel-
a decade-old political and ment” which it said would national community that Greenblatt traveled to Cai- comed such efforts and
ideological split between ri- strengthen Palestinian Hamas renounce violence ro to speak to Egyptian of- the two sides agreed to use
vals Hamas and Fatah. unity. Jordan, which con- and recognize Israel’s right ficials about the reconcili- their best efforts to work to-
King Abdullah II expressed siders itself a key Mideast to exist — conditions the ation process. Greenblatt gether, as well as with the
support for the Egyptian- mediator, was not directly militant group rejects. has been shuttling through- Palestinian Authority, Israel,
brokered deal after meet- involved in reconciliation The Palestinians are dis- out the region in hopes of Jordan and others in the re-
ing Sunday with Palestinian efforts. Under an emerging cussing an arrangement relaunching peace talks, gion to explore all available
President Mahmoud Ab- deal, an Abbas-led gov- in which Hamas would not which collapsed in 2014. opportunities to provide
bas, who heads Fatah. ernment would run Gaza, be part of the government A senior U.S. official from humanitarian assistance to
The Islamic militant Hamas but critical issues remain but would likely continue to Greenblatt’s office said Palestinians living in Gaza,”
seized the Gaza Strip in unresolved. wield some external influ- Sunday that Egypt had ex- the official said.q