Egypt's Sisi says 2011 uprising sidetracked by unpatriotic purposes

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said on Wednesday that the 2011 uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak was sidetracked by narrow interests and unpatriotic purposes, yet it remains a turning point in Egypt's history.

He made the remarks in a televised speech aired on the state TV to mark the sixth anniversary of "January 25 Revolution."

"Hopes were great in its beginning, yet feelings of frustration were unprecedented when it later sidetracked," said the Egyptian president, stressing the uprising path was later corrected by the 2013 uprising that deposed former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi after one year of his rule.

As the military chief back then, Sisi led Morsi's removal in July 2013 in response to mass protests. He later declared the country's "war against terrorism" that included a massive security crackdown on Morsi's now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group as well as the affiliates of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group mainly in Sinai.

"We will continue to fight odious terrorism until we completely uproot it from the land of Egypt," the Egyptian president reiterated.

Egypt has been suffering economic recession over the past six years and the government is currently implementing a strict three-year economic reform plan, including austerity measures, energy subsidy cuts, local currency floatation that all led to price hikes.

"History will hail this generation of Egyptians who endured over the past years what is beyond human capability," Sisi said in his speech.

He reassured the citizens that the country is on the right path, urging them to maintain patience and hard work as "the conditions in big nations like Egypt do not completely change overnight."

As the anniversary coincides with the National Police Day, the Egyptian police in cooperation with the armed forces have been intensifying security presence in vital squares and outside state institutions nationwide, particularly at Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo where the anti-Mubarak protests erupted six years back. Endit