Egyptian Sinai Engulfed in Post-Revolution Lawlessness

Egyptian Sinai Engulfed in Post-Revolution Lawlessness

Story

Egypt's Sinai peninsula has grown increasingly lawless since the revolution, with officials bringing new accusations the region is home to terrorist training camps.

The region is awash with arms, smuggled from Libya and Sudan and with some - but not all - passing through tunnels to Gaza. Sameh Seif el Yazal is a retired general and security expert. "Some of it goes there, maybe to Syria after that, I don't know. But some of it is still in Egypt, used by whom, this is the question, and used when, that's another question," said el Yazal.

Soooooo, the question posed by many after the most recent Egyptian revolution and the ascension of the Muslim Brotherhood to power as to whether it would lead to increased levels of Islamic fundamentalist influence comes to mind again.

Are these 'training camps' sponsored by the Brotherhood? Maybe just tolerated? Is the situation of lawlessness merely a consequence of the recent change of power and the Brotherhood just hasn't gotten around to establishing the rule of law in the Sinai yet or is it being given a wink and a nod from Cairo?

And, of course, the REAL concern for the only nuclear power in the region: is a new army being gathered and trained on Isreal's southern border? If so, will Isreal take preemptive action against it' like it has shown a preference to do?

Sorry to post and run, but I just got called to work.

Discuss amongst yourselves....

I'd say there is already a multi-national force which is supposed to prevent this from happening in the first place. If it gets to the point that Israel needs to be shooting at things, then the MFO has utterly failed. Perhaps we ought to ask why before it's a total failure in this case...rather than after?

MFO Mission

The mission of the MFO is to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace and employ best efforts to prevent any violation of its terms.

Article II of Annex I to the Treaty of Peace establishes four security zones, three in the Sinai in Egypt and one in Israel along the international border. Limitations on military forces and equipment within each zone are stipulated in Annex I to the Treaty.

MFO Members

›› Thirteen nations (Australia, Canada, Colombia, the Czech Republic, the Republic of the Fiji Islands, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the United States and Uruguay) contribute contingents to make up the MFO's Force. It is the largest element of the MFO and is a joint organization with army, air and naval components. As of January 2013, the MFO's Force numbered 1660 personnel.

Map of MFO divisions of the Sinai and source site for above info

If they are doing their jobs, this shouldn't be happening, IMO.

If they are doing their jobs, this shouldn't be happening, IMO.

I agree completely. This should be handled by Cairo, and if that fails (as it certainly seems to be) then by the MFO.
Are we getting set up for this summer's entertainment by TPTB?

reply to post by Montana


It's going to be a loooong, hot summer I believe. I think we can all feel it by now, can't we? Last summer was hot..but this one? A Scorcher. Should be quite a sight by the time we get to September.

Domestic, foreign and all around. Long hot summer, indeed.

The sinai is since decades a paradise for shady bizness.

The traditional locals are bedouins who live since ages from travelling and transporting goods.

There is everything on the market, from normal merchandise to cheap israeli wodka, all kinds of drugs, arms to human trafficking. Already in the sixties the hippies liked to travel there because of the endless amounts of supply.

As well the israeli youth likes to spend a few weeks/months in the region to decompress and party before or after the military service. (betcha those before the service are much better party folks...)

The MFO is present with street checkpoints before and after every bigger village.
But corruption is very high, and they merely control the checkpoints. If you take the desert paths in a 4wheeler (Toyota pickups are the standard cars in the region) or even use camels for transport you will not be hassled.

The desert stretches for miles and miles, and the villages are bedouin owned, where it is mandatory to host travellers and no questions are asked.

Long time ago i spent a fair time in the region. Sometimes it s bizarre, when you are camping in the middle of nowhere and you hear shots fired in the night, and once i even seen rockets flying over (westwards).
Never reallly found out who was fighting who.

At the time i was there, there have nt been any training camps. I guess that s a post 9/11 phenomena.