Egyptian FM meets foreign media representatives over Sinai militants attacks

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed on Sunday with representatives of foreign newspapers, news agencies and television networks in Egypt terrorist attacks targeting Egypt's stability and development efforts, Foreign Ministry spokesman Badr Abdel Aati said.

The world public opinion should understand that the political field in Egypt was open to everyone following the June 30 Revolution but the terrorist group chose violence and killing and this has been its trend since then, Shoukry told the foreign media representatives.

The latest terrorist attacks that hit Sinai coincided with the second anniversary of the June 30 revolution in which the Egyptian people rose up against exclusionary thoughts, he added.

Over the past two years, the terrorist group proved that it is the intellectual umbrella for all extremist groups around the world, he added.

He said he was amazed when he saw foreign media rushing to publish inaccurate figures on the victims of the latest attacks and use wrong terms to describe what happened there as "rebellion" or "disobedience".

What is taking place in Sinai is nothing than terrorist and criminal attacks, he said, referring to efforts by Al Azhar and Darul Iftaa to explain true concepts of Islam to foil terrorist groups' attempts to use religion to serve their heinous goals.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman said Shoukry held lengthy discussion with the foreign media representatives and answered many of their questions on the situation in Sinai.

Together with its strong Armed Forces, security bodies and national institutions, the Egyptian State is capable of confronting such criminal acts, Shoukry said.

He referred to what President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said before that the number of army personnel in Sinai does not represent more than one percent of the total Armed Forces size.

Shoukry also gave an interview with Channel 1 of the German television over the circumstances of the latest terrorist attacks that targeted Prosecutor General Hesham Barakat in Cairo and army men in Sinai.

Shoukry handed the correspondents written material on the circumstances of the latest attacks and a paper on the wrong concepts they use in their newspapers or news agencies when they handle terrorism in Egypt.

The meeting comes as part of the Foreign Ministry's intensive efforts to explain the real situation in Egypt in light of the fierce war the country is leading against terrorism.