Egypt

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Gabriela Bejarano Rangel, the sister and daughter of the Mexican organizers of the tour to Egypt that met with tragedy Sunday, has been interviewed at Excelsior.com. The Egyptian military mistook the tourist convoy in the western desert near Siwa Oasis for terrorists and attacked them, killing […]

Eastern Europe

Egypt’s al-Sisi and Putin Pledge Common Front against Terrorism

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met Wednesday for the third time in a year with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Putin is attempting to draw Egypt into a common front against terrorism. He wants to fight Daesh [ISIS, ISIL]) in Syria, which is only a […]

Authoritarianism

How Islamic State is moving its Egyptian battle from Sinai to Cairo

contributors

By Natasha Ezrow | (The Conversation) | – – Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for a powerful car bomb detonated outside a state security building in northern Cairo which injured 29 people, including six policemen. The Egyptian ministry claimed that: “A man suddenly stopped his car in front of the state security building, jumped […]

Authoritarianism

Huge ISIL Blast at Cairo Security Bldg. Injures 29; Sisi Security Claims in Tatters

contributors

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – An enormous explosion damaged a building housing secret police in a northern district of Cairo (Shubra al-Khayma) on Thursday early morning, wounding nearly 30 persons, including 6 police personnel, who were transferred to hospital for treatment. Two different branches of Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) claimed responsibility, the […]

Authoritarianism

Egypt’s “Terrorism” Law Violates “Fundamental Freedoms”

contributors

By Kitty Stapp | (Inter Press Service) | – – NEW YORK (IPS) – Egyptian authorities are already holding a record number of journalists behind bars, and a draconian new anti-terror law signed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday will further broaden the crackdown on dissent, press freedom groups warn. It imposes heavy penalties […]

Arab Spring

Young Protesters Languish in Jail under Egypt’s Military Counter-Revolution

contributors

By Nelly Bassily | ( openDemocracy) | – – Yara Sallam is starting the second year of her sentence in Qanater Women’s prison outside Cairo. She says, “I do not feel any regret or self-defeat, the prison is not inside me.” Yara Sallam is starting her second year of detention in an Egyptian prison. No […]

Egypt

Egypt: ISIL claims Massive Blast at Italian Consulate that Kills 1, wounds 4

contributors

Times of India | (Video Report) | – – “At least one person was killed and four others injured today in a powerful explosion outside the Italian consulate in the Egyptian capital.” (Update: “ISIS Claims Deadly Car Bomb Blast At Italian Consulate In Cairo” The Times of India: “1 Killed, 4 Injured in Blast at […]

censorship

Egypt’s Draconian new anti-Terrorism Law threatens freedom of speech, Democracy

contributors

Euronews | (Video Report) | – – “Egypt launched airstrikes on Islamist militant targets in the Sinai peninsula killing 23 fighters, the offensive comes a day after deadly clashes in the region.” On Wednesday, the cabinet approved a new anti-terrorism law which it claims will act as a deterrent but political expert Bashir Abdl Alfatah […]

Egypt

50 Egyptian Soldiers, others, Killed in Daesh Sinai Rebellion

Juan Cole

Aljazeera International | Video Report | – – “At least 35 people killed as ISIL group attacks police posts in Sheikh Zuweid and El-Arish.Al Jazeera’s Omar Saleh reports.” At the same time, Egyptian troops surrounded and killed 9 Muslim Brothers in a Cairo neighborhood, including a former member of parliament. Deadly Attacks hit Egypt’s Sinai […]