Why IS operations on the rise in Upper Egypt? Experts answer

Cairo – Several experts on extremist groups posed the question why is the so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) focusing its terrorist operations in Upper Egypt. Some theories say that the successful counter-terrorism operation of Egypt’s military in Sinai have forced terrorists to flee to the south. As for their choice of Upper Egypt, experts posit that this is part of the terrorists’ strategy that is bound to finish off the Egyptian state from border to border.

Experts stress that the indicators of this trend are very clear. Terror groups leaders have always called on their followers through their media platforms, to target Upper Egypt and focus on committing crimes against the Copts.

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Montasser Omran, an Islamic group dissenter and researcher on political Islam, said the top two reasons why terrorist groups have shifted gears to Upper Egypt is the large quantities of weapons, which families tend to hoard for purposes of vendetta family feuds, as well as the spread of extremist group ideologies.

Omran argues that this is evident by the fact that Upper Egypt was plagued by the presence of Islamic groups and was the former  breeding ground of the fiercest terrorist such as Osama Al-Zawahiri during the 1980s and 1990s. When Upper Egypt was at its strongest in being used in terrorism, it had even become a launching pad for terrorist operations such as targeting tourists in Luxor and Aswan.

Omran continues that the desert and mountainous back area of Upper Egypt constitutes a natural safe haven for the group’s fugitives fleeing the security forces crackdowns. Also to take into consideration is the porous security borders shared with Sudan that facilitate escaping outside Egypt.

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Commenting on the Minya terror attack on the Coptic Christians, Mohammed al-Abaseiri, a prominent Salafi preacher and researcher on militant Islamism said: “There is no doubt that these terrorists, who belong to no religion, are a bunch of mercenaries who have absolutely zero regard for human life. They did not even observe the sanctity of Friday for Muslim or the sanctity of the holy month of Ramadan. From those, I fervently insist that our Islamic religion is totally innocent from such thoughts and acts.”

He said in a statement: “I reiterate what I have said before about the Brotherhood as the fountainhead of global terrorism, the exponent of all woes and ordeals in Egypt and the wellspring of extremism and excommunication in this world.”

On his part, Adel Amer, President of the Egyptian Center for Political and Economic Studies called for the need to take more action against all evil incarnates of extremism in the region, draining the sources of support and fighting media platforms promoting its terror missions.

Amer called for the need to strengthen efforts and closer international cooperation to eradicate the scourge of terrorism and extremism, pointing out that confronting terrorism with an iron fist of security only, will not lead to the desired result.

He warned that if terror attacks continue at such a frightening pace, it will undermine the sovereignty and prestige of the state, and affect the rule of law in society. He expressed his sorrow over the Minya attack that made the hearts of all Egyptians bleed for the innocent victims, among whom were just toddlers.

He added that the reason that forced terror groups to Upper Egypt was an attempt to relieve pressure on the Mother group in restive Sinai after it had heavily sustained major losses and fatalities at the hands of security services, alongside local tribes of Sinai.