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U.S. condemns armed attacks in Egypt's Sinai, pledging anti-terrorism support

Xinhua, April 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

The United States on Thursday strongly condemned armed attacks on checkpoints in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula which claimed at least 17 lives, pledging continued support for Cairo's anti-terrorism efforts.

"The United States remains steadfast in its support of Egypt's efforts to combat terrorism in the Sinai and throughout the country, and we will continue to work closely together to address shared threats to regional security," the State Department said in a statement.

Unidentified militants on Thursday fired automatic rifles and rockets on five checkpoints on the road leading to Sheikh Zuweid city in the North Sinai Governorate of Egypt near the border with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

An Egyptian official speaking on condition of anonymity told Xinhua that the militants' main target was Kharouba checkpoint, which accommodates a large number of security personnel and a big amount of arms and munitions. Attacks on other targets were believed to be aimed at distracting the security forces, he added.

Sinai Peninsula has seen a spate of attacks on security forces since the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi by the army in 2013 in response to mass protests against his rule.

On Tuesday, the White House lifted an executive hold on weapon sales to Egypt imposed since October 2013, after al-Sisi, then chief of the Egyptian armed forces, ousted Morsi, installed an interim government and launched a hard crackdown on Morsi's supporters.

In a phone call with al-Sisi, U.S. President Barack Obama " advised President al-Sisi that he will continue to request an annual 1.3 billion dollars in military assistance for Egypt," the White House said in a statement.

Starting in fiscal year 2018, Washington will offer security aid to Cairo in the four areas of counterterrorism, border security, security on the Sinai Peninsula and maritime security, with "sustainment of weapons systems already in Egypt's arsenal," Obama told al-Sisi.

Obama "explained that these and other steps will help refine our military assistance relationship so that it is better positioned to address the shared challenges to U.S. and Egyptian interests in an unstable region," the White House said. Endite