(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Wednesday his country’s support of the Syrian regime against extremists is necessary for the stability of the region.
"Our priority is to support national armies, for example in Libya to assert control over Libyan territories and deal with extremist elements,” he said during an interview with Portuguese broadcaster RTP. “The same with Syria and Iraq."
The reporter then asked Sisi if he was referring to the National Army in Syria, to which Sisi replied: “Yes.”
Sisi’s response could create tension between Egypt and other Gulf countries, like Saudi Arabia, that back the rebels trying to unseat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
"Our stance in Egypt is to respect the will of the Syrian people, and that a political solution to the Syrian crisis is the most suitable way, and to seriously deal with terrorist groups and disarm them," he said.
The comments come as a rift between Saudi Arabia and Egypt is deepening amid disagreements about regional politics including the warming of ties between Moscow and Cairo, Egypt’s refusal to send troops to Yemen and Syria and the Egyptians’ opposition to Saudi-backed Wahhabi terrorists.
Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Egypt increased after an Egyptian court nullified the transfer of the sovereignty of two Red Sea islands to the kingdom.
Cairo officially announced in early November that Saudi Arabia had indefinitely halted shipments of oil products that were part of a $23-billion aid deal with Egypt.
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source : VOA
Thursday
24 November 2016
12:31:44 PM
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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Wednesday his country’s support of the Syrian regime against extremists is necessary for the stability of the region.