UK pledges Support for Egypt’s ‘Fight against Terrorist Violence’

The British government has condemned a series of militant attacks in Sinai on Thursday, pledging to stand with Egypt in its fight against “terrorist violence.”

At least 30 Egyptians, mostly soldiers, were killed in the violence on Thursday; an official death toll has yet to be released. Sinai-based militant group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis has claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks.

“I strongly condemn last night’s series of terrorist attacks against the Egyptian security forces in North Sinai,” Philip Hammond, the UK foreign secretary, said on Friday.

“The UK stands with the Egyptian government and people in their fight against terrorist violence,” Hammond said in an official statement.

The UK has been playing a leading role in the US-led international coalition of over 60 countries including Egypt who have been launching an air campaign against the Islamic State militant group in Syria and Iraq, also known as Daesh in the Middle East.

Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis last year swore allegiance to the Islamic State.

John Casson, the UK’s ambassador to Egypt, said earlier this month that the UK would stand by the people of the Middle East “to confront Daesh, their allies, and the poisonous ideology of violent extremism.”

Source: Ahram Online