Talks to free kidnapped Egyptian soldiers halted

Cairo: Negotiations between security officials, tribal leaders and leaders of moderate jihadist groups to release seven abducted Egyptian soldiers in North Sinai have been halted due to the kidnappers’ “excessive demands”, military intelligence sources told Gulf News.

The kidnappers, mostly jihadists, demanded a swap deal to release over 30 jihadists and others convicted in previous terrorist attacks, including six facing execution, in return for the seven soldiers, the sources said.

On Thursday, a group of militants believed to belong to the hardline Jihadist movement, abducted three policemen and four military soldiers in North Sinai’s Green Valley, some 20 kilometres away from the governorate’s capital city, Arish.

President Mohammad Mursi’s Advisor for Social Dialogue Emad Abdul Gafour met on Friday with leaders of several Islamic movements in North Sinai, in an attempt to solve the abduction crisis, conveying the presidency massage which states “listening to the demands of the kidnappers, working to solve it within legal procedures frame.”

President Mursi met Interior Minister Mohammad Ebrahim, Defence Minister Abdul Fattah Al Sisi and Head of Intelligence Rafa’at Shehata two times late on Thursday and Saturday to discuss the latest developments in mediation in the kidnapping episode.

Revamping border security

A presidential statement issued on Thursday evening said they had reviewed efforts — at both the political and security levels — aimed at securing the soldiers’ release. They also discussed plans for tightening security at Egypt’s borders.

The statement added that “serious efforts” were under way aimed at resolving outstanding security issues in Sinai, including grievances aired by Bedouin tribesmen regarding the lack of development in the peninsula.

On Saturday night, presidential spokesman Omar Amer told the private satellite channel, Al Hayat Al Yoom, that the presidency had all details and information about the location and identity of the kidnappers.

Amer confirmed that the presidency had not authorised anybody to negotiate with the kidnappers. “President Mursi did not authorise North Sinai Governor Sayed Abdul Fattah Harhour or [his adviser] Emad Abdul Gafour to contact the kidnappers”.

Amer also denied media reports that there were differences between President Mursi and security officials on how to deal with the kidnappers.

“The presidency, military and the interior ministry are unified and adopting the same vision to solve the crisis,” said Amer, adding that “all choices are open, including military operations, to release our soldiers as soon as possible.”

“The abducted recruits are located between Rafah and Shaikh Zoied cities,” the security officials, who asked not to be named, said.

Military intervention likely

“As the negotiations that were ongoing for the past 48 hours failed, there will be no alternative, but military intervention. Sinai military and police formed an operation room that made a decision to release the abducted soldiers by force,” the sources added.

“Limited force will be needed to free the soldiers as the available equipment is sufficient,” said the sources.

Military and police presence has been intensified in North Sinai as the intelligence sources disclosed that the kidnappers had hidden the soldiers in three different places and displaced them every two hours.

Egyptian forces stepped up a campaign to close tunnels along the border amid concern that the captured servicemen may be smuggled into the Gaza Strip.

Four tunnels were closed on Friday in the Al Sarsoryeh area near Rafah. Around 15 tons of cement and large quantities of cigarettes were seized from the tunnels, an Egyptian security official told Gulf News.

Also on Thursday, the Egyptian forces closed seven tunnels in the same area, he added.

The joint forces from the interior ministry and the military were preparing for a large-scale security operation in Sinai within the next 48 hours, according to the sources.

Rafah Crossing remained close

The Rafah Crossing on Gaza’s border remained shut for the third day on Sunday as Egyptian border guards closed the gates, in protest against the abduction of the seven security personnel; four of them belong to the Border Guards.

About 1000 Palestinians were stranded on the Egyptian side of the crossing on Sunday morning as protesting guards refused to negotiate with Abdul Fattah Harb, head of the Border Guards Department of the Interior Ministry.

The guards demanded the release of their colleagues prior to any negotiations.

Harhour held meetings with Hamas leaders as well as North Sinai Director of Security Samih Ahmad Beshady to discuss the implications of closing down the Rafah Crossing.

Harhour said that he received a phone call from President Mursi on Saturday to follow up on the issue.

— The writer is a journalist based in Cairo.