And so the Egyptian army started its plan to evacuate areas in Rafah city , North Sinai demolishing houses and displacing the families there as part of its war against terrorism according to the orders of Prime minister Ibrahim Mahlab.
In this stage we are speaking about 802 houses to be evacuated and 1,156 families to be displaced.
A copy from the PM's decree to evacuate the area
A map showing the areas to be evacuated
I do not know how evacuating the area and displacing hundreds of families will give you an Upper hand to fight terrorism. Already terrorists will leave the area and will go to the next populated place if you think in this way.Not to mention you will create an angry population that can not stomach your existance.
If it is about tunnels with Gaza , well most tunnels with Gaza have been destroyed in the past two years. Also for more than area the army used to destroy the houses with tunnels so why to destroy the houses without tunnels.
Needless this decision which is unconstitutional needs a parliament in the first not a president or pm alone. Again we need to revise the security and military strategy in Sinai carefully so we can win this war against terrorism without losing Sinai once again.
Because adopting the 1960s media and propaganda we find today that this was not enough and now the Pro-military supporters are using two or three chapters from WWII propaganda book guide.
This poster with sets of orders to the Egyptian people to follow during the current war on terrorism so the terrorists won't win. This poster is signed by a group calling itself "We, the peope of Egypt
Here is the English translation of the orders in the poster. It is translated by dear friend Dalia Ezzat.
We are the people of Egypt
Egypt is in a state of war, therefore we request the following from everyone :
Sharing any negative statements about your army or your country circulated by agents or the fifth column is prohibited.
Sharing any negative information about military operations or related to the state of soldiers and conscripts is prohibited.
Sharing any negative words that question or insult the military, your leadership or your or authorities is prohibited.
Writing about your psychological breakdown over what is happening in the country is prohibited as you will be serving the interests of agents.
No one , no matter who they are, should be permitted to malign your army and your leadership. Such people should be dealt with with firmness to prevent them from causing further damage and moving on with this information to other people.
Sharing any information about military operations , even if you're confident of this information, is absolutely prohibited. You should wait for an official statement from a military source. Not all information should be shared.
And finally to the so called activists and Twitter Jihadists
Please don't comment on or attempt to criticize the military or its operations. If you have better suggestions for what should be done, you can communicate them directly to the military sources concerned or keep quiet and don't attempt to divide us or stop our path.
Reading this in Arabic makes me feel that whoever wrote it was or is an army officer. I believe he could be an army veteran.
I know one thing for sure the rights of those who were killed in Sinai in cold blood in the past 3 years won't return in this way.
After the horrifying terrorist attack in Sinai which resulted in th murder of not less than 30 army officers and soldiers Egyptian TV channels and newspapers decided to fight terrorism in its own way. First we found on Saturday that popular TV host Mahmoud Saad would no longer appear on Al-Nahar TV channel becaue the channel won't allow to those who spread rumors to spread on its screen according to a statement it issued on that same day. Saad , a pro-Jan25 TV host is considered a moderate critic of the regime right now compared to other TV hosts. Last week Mahmoud Saad criticized El-Sisi directly reminding him how he used to meet the 25 January revolution youth icons when those icons now are either in jail or abroad in self-exile or accused of treason in media.Last week Asmaa Mahfouz, the famous 25 January revolution icon was the latest revolution youth figure to be officially blacklisted after finding herself on the state's travel ban. Today after huge criticism to the channel online , Al-Nahar TV channel claimed that Saad's show had not been suspended but according to my sources it was suspended on Saturday. May be Al-Nahar TV channel got some warning from Mount Olympus, already Saad was the last criticising voice and is needed to create some pseudo-balance in the channel.
Today was officially the Black Friday in Sinai. In afternoon a bombed car exploded at an army checkpoint near El-Sheikh Zowaid city in North Sinai.At least 30 army personnel from soldiers, conscripts and officers were killed in the worst attacks against army personnel in Sinai since its return to Egypt.
Then couple of hours later we read that there was a shooting at some police checkpoint in Al-Arish city. Then at mid night a CSF police camp near Al-Arish international airport was allegedly attacked by missiles and dozens of conscripts were injured. A bloody day indeed.
You must know that this week not less than 40 security personnel were killed as well 50 others were injured in North Sinai alone. I see that the security campaign to purge Sinai from terrorism is not working as expected. Already I believe that 3 years have passed since the army started its operation in August 2012 to purge Sinai from the terrorists who killed our borders guards.
So far no one has officially claimed responsibility but of course Ajnad Beit Al-Maqids terrorist group is the main suspect .
And I proudly present once again another fantastic photogallery made by dear friend Mosa'ab El-Shamy. This time Mosa'ab El-Shamy captures in black and white the amazing annual Moulid El-Sayid El-Badawy in Tanta earlier this month. I will not comment on the photos because they speak on their own.
Moulid El-Siyad El-Badawy is the biggest religious Sufi Moulid attracting hundreds of thousands of Egyptians from all over the country to Tanta to this time of the year.
El-Siyad or Sheikh Ahmed El-Badawy was a Moroccan Sufi Sheikh who settled down in Egypt , in Tanta in the 12th century where he died and buried. Soon enough the Moroccan Sufi Sheikh became a Sufi saint with a big order of students and followers. Already Tanta has become known as the city of El-Siyad El-Badawy.
This year the Moulid was interrepeted for few minutes when two primitive explosive devices detenotated in the Grand night of the Moulid , which is the biggest in the event outside the Mosque in the Moulid space itself injuring tens only. Most of injuries were related to crowedness and panic. Thankfully it did not spoil the night. I think no one has claimed responsibility for this terrible act.
It all started when I logged in to twitter this afternoon, I saw this tweet retweeted by journalist Evan Hill.
Former Egyptian parliament candidate & "security official" Ahmed el-Darawi supposedly joined ISIS in Iraq https://t.co/QchdWuhq3S — Evan Hill (@evanchill) October 18, 2014
Former Egyptian Parliament candidae and security officer Ahmed El-Darawi died in a suicide attack in Iraq according to a news story published on Pro-IS Dawa Al-Haq website which by its turn quoted alleged Iraqi journalist Hussein Al-Madidi who wrote his name wrong at first as "Hamed"
Al-Madidi said the following : Hamed El-Darawi was an Egyptian security officer and a parliamentary candidate then he repented and came to the caliphate where he did a suicidal operation.
Now aside from the interesting fact that we are speaking about a former Egyptian security officer who joined IS , I remember something: Ahmed El-Darawi was dead from several months ago according to his family and could not be responsible for a suicidal operation in Iraq this week or anytime earlier.
I asked my fellow Egyptian tweeps and they confirmed to me what I have already known , El-Darawi died abroad suffering from cancer. Anyhow they gave me the handle of his brother Haitham El-Darawi.
Haitham revealed a new truth many ignored that Ahmed indeed died during an Operation for the State aka IS. I am quoting his exact words in his reply to my direct question on twitter.
@Zeinobia الخبر صحيح احمد استشهد في عملية مع الدولة وأسرته علمت الخبر ده بعد اعلان الوفاة بفترهالله يرحمه — H (@SadButTrue33) October 18, 2014
Well it turned out the majority ignored this but his friends in Maadi and some Pro-Morsi supporters on twitter knew that.
I am not an expert in restoration or renovation of old monuments but I think I have eyes to see there is something wrong.This is a-before and after photo showing Fatimid era Al-Juyushi Mosque in Moqattam.
Al-Juyushi Mosque Before and After
The mosque that was built by the commander of the Fatimid armies in Egypt Badr Al-Jamali in the 11th century was turned in to ruins in the 20th century and of course the Egyptian government ignored despite its historical value. Recently Egypt's only lucky as well most mysterious Shiite Bohra Community decided to renovate or rather to build the ancient mosque.
From the photo you can see that all the signs of the historical building were wiped out from outside. Yes it was more of ruins but now it looks like a brand new mosque not a mosque that was built in the 11th century to oversee the new capital of Fatimids in North Africa.
Do you remember the controversy of Djoser pyramid which has not ended yet in Egypt ? I spoke about it before here briefly in the blog. Among the controversial points that raised in the debate that El-Shorbagy restoration Company used new stones in the first step base outside the pyramid destroying its ancient look. You can see what I mean here.
Djoser pyramid's new base by Galal Amr
That photo was taken by dear Galal Amr.
I believe that some contractors and officials in Egypt believe that restoration and renovation works mean rebuilding the place , the old place as if it were new from scratch. Of course this will generate more money than restoring history.
I think this point should be raised and discussed when we speak about restoration and renovation in Egypt.
Last Saturday the new academic year kicked off in Egyptian universities with lots and lots of non-stop drama. Starting with early Saturday morning security forces launched a wave from arrests across the country targeting the leading figures of the student movements in Egyptian universities.
Then on Saturday morning the students were welcomed by Private security firm "Falcon" responsible for the security in 15 public universities. For hours students stood in queues to be inspected by Falcon security guards at their electronic gates.
On Sunday the Pro-MB 'Students against Coup' organized protests in several campuses across the country calling it after Leftist Sheikh Emam and Poet Ahmed Fouad Nagm's song in 1970s "The students are back".
The political song was praising the students movement in 1970s. Anyhow back to our time and to Sunday, the protests did not only attract the MB supporters but also the Non-Islamist students who were provoked by the Falcon scene the day before as well the mass arrests wave.
When Al shorouk newspaper reported that Cairo university was going to use the so-called patriotic students for spying on aka the troublemaking students in the new academic year 2014-2015 , some people did not believe it and accuse the newspaper of fabricating the news.
Of course the minister of higher education denied this news claiming that he would not turn the students to spies and informants. The minister can claim what he wants but we have got now professors who confess that they use students to spy on other students on campus. Here is a video clip for Dr.Hussein Aweida from Al Azhar Univeristy confesses that he uses students from his hometown to spy on other students.
TV host Mahmoud Saad went mad when he heard that talk.
Universities remained the pain in the regime's ass with the ongoing protests that took place all over the country last year. Not less than 11 students were killed on campus across the country in protests that turned clashes with the security forces.
On Thursday a very dark memory passed by silently in Egypt , it was the anniversary of Maspero massacre. A dark moment for Egypt in the 21st century where not less than 28 Egyptians were killed by Egypt's military police in a horrifying crime that was recorded live. Those Egyptians were Christians protesting in Egypt's first authorized protest in 2011 and the Egyptian National TV considered them as criminals asking the Egyptians to save the army from their attack.
Three years passed and no one was really found guilty for the murder of those protesters in the case that was investigated by the military prosecution. Even the soldier who was found guilty of manslaughter "running over the protesters with the army armored vehicle" took only 3 year. A sentence was suspended later by the way because the solider's appeal was accepted and there is a new retrial I do not know honestly its developments.
Three years passed and the only ones who remembered the martyrs are the same groups holding on the 25 January Dream sincerely.
When there was a media silence regarding that dark memory yesterday, few protesters commemorated the massacre with two stands Thursday afternoon. The first one was a short silent stand at the famous staircase of the journalists syndicate. It was small silent stand and short one as well.
The other one was bigger and was organized by Maspero Youth Union at Shubra roundabout , at the same place where the rally of angry Christians protesters started to march to Maspero building from three ago. The number of protesters was bigger , holding posters of the martyrs like iconic Mina Daniel.
The younger generations attending the protesters chanted against the military rule and the military. One of their chants was 'Sisi, Sisi , why is not Tantawy standing a trial ?" in reference to former Field Marshal Hussein Tantawy ,the head of SCAF during Maspero Massacre.Here is a photogallery from both protests.
This video clip was aired live on Egyptian TV where President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was praying the Adha Eid prayer along a number of officials including the Prime minister and minister of interior who did not complete their Hajj personally to attend the prayer.
It was part of the Eid Speech by former minister of religious endowment Al-Hamadi Abu El-Nawar where he was speaking about president El-Sisi and his popularity that reached heavens. He says God, Archangel Gabriel and other angels love Abdel El-Fattah El-Sisi and this is why the whole world loved him in the United Nation General assembly from two weeks ago. Shamelessly twisting prophet Mohamed 'PBUH' quotes to prove that , the old sheikh stated that on air while the president was listenning. One thougt that this kind talk would end after 30 June , at least this what was claimed then. I remember that people went so angry and mad when similiar sheikhs claimed that ousted president Mohamed Morsi was supported by God , the angels and Prophet Mohamed "PBUH" according to visions and dreams I remember very well that Bassem Youssef made a whole segment about those hypocrites in his suspended TV show during Morsi's era. Now I totally understand how the MB and their supporters use religion in this way but I am puzzled on how the new ruling regime is using it and is okay with it when it claims that it is against the religious state and there will be no mix of religioin and politics in the so-called New Egypt. Personally I watch that clip as well remember how El-Sisi stated during the elections campaign that the president was responsible for the religion and the manners of the society and I laugh on how some Pro-El-Sisi supporters see the man as Egypt's Ataturk's who will establish the ultimate secular state in Egypt !!!! Of course to be honest it is not about Morsi or El-Sisi , it is about the Pharaoh cult in Egypt that goes back to thousands of years. The pharaoh or ruler in this country is always supported by the Gods and sometimes he is the son of God or the God himself incarnated. By the way that Sheikh who believes that heavens loves El-Sisi comes from Al-Azhar , a religious institution that once before the 23 July 1952 stood against King Farouk himself for breaking the rules of Islam and attempting to issue a Fatwa to serve his interest.
I do not know who thought about this amazing idea but it is great one. Last night on Eid Al-Adha's eve a group of Pro-Democracy activists in Egypt hanged posters of the young political detainees and prisoners on billboards in one of the busiest Upper middle class streets in Giza govenorate.
The poster of Mohamed Soltan by '@i3taff' on instagram
It is brilliant idea.The young pro-democracy activists did it at night.
Now the posters features faces of the famous detianees and prisoners who are currently in jail like Mohamed Soltan , Yara Sallem , Sanaa Seif , Ahmed Gama Zeida and Shawkan as well Sohip Emad , the young teenager who is still in school and arrested in protest from several months ago.The posters got few words that say it a lot "Their Eid {Feast} is in prison"
The posters covered the ads in Nadi El-Sid street 'Shooting SC street' in Giza which is an Upper Middle Class area. Now it is not only a busy street because of the club but on Eid's mornning it is extremely busy because thousands of Muslims heading to Shooting Club to pray the Eid prayer so those posters are exposed to huge audience
Updated: The posters were also put in Wadi Al Nil street which is also a busy Upper Middle class in Mohendessin area , Giza.
Here is a photogallery of the posters.
By the way political activist Ahmed Douma has been transferred to Kasr Al-Aini hospital in a very critical condition earlier today. Douma end his hunger strike after the extreme deterioration of his health. After pleas of political parties and the activists as well renowned political figures , the 26 years old renowned activist was transferred to the hsoptial. We do not know much about his exact medical condition but one thing for sure : He suffers from shortage of Potassium and he needs an ICU care for at least 48 hours to pass that critical condition.
Douma is serving three years jail sentence for breaking the unconstitutional protest law along with April 6 Youth movement co-founders Ahmed Maher and Mohamed Adel.
First Happy Eid to all Muslims around the globe. Second Happy Hajj season to all those in Holy.
Third Egyptian Chronicles would like to present this YouTube lost Jam to its readers in Al-Adha Eid around the globle. I do not know if I posted this before but it is worth to publish again and again.
This is a short documentary filmed and prodcued by Egypt's Studio Misr , Egypt's first National Film studio in year 1938 showing the official Egyptian delegation and their trip.
Despite the film's quality is not the best but the film is great showing the old Hajj trips and how Macca and Madina looked like in 1938.
I hope next Eid all our dreams and hopes in freedom , democracy and peace come true.
By the way you should not miss the interesting debate about #HajjSelfies . Scholars are against it while people are doing it. Personally despite I am not so fond with the whole Selfie thing,yet I believe Hajj is a personal experience and so Selfie is part of that personal experience.
Those young Muslims try to remember that experience , that trip we as Muslims consider as the greatest trip and experience one can do in a life time.
I wish those scholars pay attention to injustice spread in the Arab and Muslim world from East to West instead paying attention to trivial stuff.
