The first direct flights to Cairo appeared in the schedule of the capital's airports for April. Transportation will be carried out by EgyptAir, as well as the Russian Aeroflot. Companies have already started selling tickets. The website portal recalled the circumstances of the suspension of flights, understood the current political context, and also found out what the nuclear power plant in ad-Dabaa had to do with it.
Terrorism tourism
A temporary ban on direct flights to Egypt followed a terrorist attack in the skies over the Sinai Peninsula on October 31, 2015. Then, as a result of the explosion on board the Airbus A321 of the airline "Kogalymavia", heading from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg, 224 people were killed, including seven crew members. This disaster became the largest in the history of Russian and Soviet aviation.
As it became known during the investigation, the plane took off at 6:51 (Moscow time) and disappeared from the radar screens 23 minutes later. At that time, he was at an altitude of 9.4 thousand meters. The wreckage of the liner was discovered on the day of the crash in the mountainous area of the central part of the Sinai Peninsula. At the same time, flight recorders were also found, which were delivered to Cairo for decryption. The Egyptian authorities immediately provided an opportunity for all interested parties to take part in the investigation.
On November 17, FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov reported to President Vladimir Putin that experts had examined personal belongings, luggage and parts of the crashed plane.
As a result of the examinations carried out on all subjects<…>traces of foreign-made explosives have been identified, - said Alexander Bortnikov, pointing out that it was definitely a terrorist attack.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the incident (the organization is banned in Russia). The day after the report of the director of the FSB, Reuters reported that the terrorists published on one of their resources a photograph of an explosive device similar to the one used on board the Russian airliner. We are talking about an aluminum soda can, obviously filled with explosives, and a detonator.
In June 2016, then-CIA director John Brennan announced that the Ansar Beit al-Maqdis group, operating in the Sinai Peninsula and sworn to ISIS, was the organizer of the attack.
According to the investigation, the bomb was planted in the oversized baggage compartment. She was carried on board the plane by one of the employees of the Sharm el-Sheikh airport.
Indirectly, the version of the terrorist attack in February 2016 was also recognized by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, according to whom those who shot down the plane wanted to strike at Cairo's relations with Moscow. Nevertheless, at the official level, the country's authorities are investigating the incident as an ordinary plane crash and do not initiate a criminal case under the article “Terrorism”. As Interfax reported in July 2017, citing a source familiar with the investigation, recognizing the terrorist attack as the cause of the crash "will provoke claims against a country that has not ensured flight safety, and may also cause numerous lawsuits from the relatives of the victims."
Sinai vulnerability
Despite this behavior of the Egyptian authorities, the Sinai Peninsula, or rather, its northeastern part, has long turned into a headache for the current leadership in Cairo. The situation there has become noticeably aggravated after the Egyptian military removed Islamist President Mohammed Morsi from power in 2013, thus responding to the corresponding demands of the millions of demonstrators who took to the streets of the country.
At the same time, the Ansar Beit al-Maqdis group became active in Sinai, which is considered the militant wing of the Muslim Brotherhood (the organization is banned in Russia) - namely, Muhammad Mursi belonged to the Brothers.
In 2014, members of Ansar Beit al-Maqdis pledged allegiance to ISIS and renamed their group Vilayat Sinai. The situation in that area, of course, did not become calmer from this. The last major terrorist attack was carried out by militants in November 2017. Then the terrorists attacked believers who came to Friday prayers at a mosque in one of the cities of the province of El-Arish. More than 300 people were killed in the attack.
By order of the Egyptian president, since February 9, 2018, the country's army and police have been conducting a large-scale military operation against extremists in the Sinai Peninsula.
Fight for the sky
On November 6, 2015, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to suspend flights to Egypt. This was a serious blow to the tourism industry of the country of the pyramids, which was already affected earlier by the “Arab Spring” that began in 2011.
According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, up to 3 million Russians rested there every year. Therefore, their absence could not but affect the economy, and the authorities had to calculate the losses. Already in April 2016, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism reported that for the first quarter, the drop in revenue in this area was 66%, or $ 1 billion.
Of course, the ban did not stop many Russians: they traveled to Egypt through third countries, and made hotel reservations on their own. According to the deputy head of the Union of Tourism Chambers of Egypt, Mostafa Khelil, in 2017, 100 thousand citizens of the Russian Federation visited Egypt. But of course, this is a drop in the bucket compared to the figures before the suspension of flights.
Thus, initially for Cairo, the question of the earliest possible resumption of air traffic became urgent.
As soon as we work out the mechanisms that would reliably ensure the safety of our people, we will remove all restrictions, '' Vladimir Putin said in December 2015.
At the same time, the Associated Press previously, with reference to the security personnel of the airport in Sharm el-Sheikh, reported that the security regime in the air harbor was violated on an ongoing basis. In particular, scanners in the check-in baggage inspection areas did not work there. In addition, vehicles for the delivery of food and fuel could be allowed to the planes without inspection.
In January 2016, Russian experts began to check how security is organized at the country's airports. Since then, delegations from various departments have visited it several times. But, despite the measures taken by Cairo, most often the inspections ended with the fixation of any flaws in the security system.
Meanwhile, as before told Izvestia, a Russian tourist who visited Egypt at the beginning of 2016 during the New Year holidays, had already taken unprecedented security measures at the country's airports, which would have been the envy of many European air harbors.
Tourism with an atomic touch
Prolonged checks on Egyptian airports have created fertile ground for speculation in the local press. In particular, some media outlets wrote that the resumption of flights is linked to the fact that Russia is trying to bargain for the most favorable conditions for the construction of the country's first pyramid nuclear power plant in the area of the city of al-Dabaa, located 330 km west of Cairo.
We are talking about four 1200 MW power units. They will operate advanced Russian VVER-1200 generation 3+ nuclear reactors that meet the highest so-called post-Fukushima safety standards.
Even President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had to refute such rumors, who in November 2017 said that “there is no link between the signing of contracts by Egypt for the construction of a nuclear power plant in ad-Dabaa by Russia and the resumption of air communication with it”.
Acts on the entry into force of contracts for the project for the construction of a nuclear power plant in al-Dabaa were signed in December during Vladimir Putin's visit to Egypt. At the same time, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said that Moscow was ready to sign a protocol with Egypt on direct flights.
To the pyramids, but not to the sea
In early January 2018, President Vladimir Putin ordered the resumption of flights to Cairo. The corresponding decree was published on the official portal of legal information. The end of February was named as the probable start date for the actual flights, but then the dates were postponed to April.
As the head of the Ministry of Transport Maxim Sokolov said on March 13, Aeroflot and Egypt Air should sign the agreements necessary for the resumption of air traffic at the end of this - early next month. And after that the Federal Air Transport Agency will issue a technical permit.
It is important to note that so far we are talking only about flights to the Egyptian capital. The resort Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada will remain closed for direct flights.
How reported previously to Izvestia, the Russian President's Special Representative for the Middle East and African Countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, “the decision [on Sharm-el-Sheikh and Hurghada] will be the security situation in the region as a whole ”.
Polina Dukhanova
All churches in Egypt have been taken under increased protection after the terrorist attack in the Coptic cathedral complex in Abbasia in Cairo. According to the latest data, 26 people became victims of the explosion, and more than 50 were injured. The dead and injured are mostly women and children, as it is reported that an explosive device was detonated in a wing reserved for them. The country has declared three days of mourning. In connection with the incident, the Coptic Patriarch Pope Tavadros II interrupted his visit to Greece. The terrorist attack has become one of the largest in Egypt since 2011. RT collected the latest information about the incident.
- Reuters
Woman with bag
According to eyewitnesses, an unknown woman carried the bag with the bomb, leaving it under the bench. As soon as she left the church, an explosion thundered, the portal Youm7 transmits.
The Egyptian Ministry of Internal Affairs has already reported that TNT was used to manufacture the device.
"The explosion took place with the use of a high-power explosive device containing TNT," RIA Novosti quotes the ministry's source as saying.
The power of the device is estimated at 8-12 kilograms, TASS reports.
Assistance to the injured
The wounded are taken to the nearest hospitals and hospitals of the Ministry of Defense of the country. The condition of many of them is assessed as grave, and therefore an increase in the number of victims is not excluded.
“Fortunately, there are many hospitals in this area, all the victims were admitted, all operating rooms were ready and operations are now underway,” RIA Novosti quoted Cairo Governor Atef Abdel Hamid as saying.
“Everyone in the area of the explosion in Cairo, please go to hospitals and donate blood! The wounded need it as soon as possible, ”Twitter user Barry Allen writes.
"Donate blood in Cairo after a terrorist attack on a church," urges Arab Spring activist Iyad al-Baghdadi.
“People are queuing up to donate blood in connection with the bombing in a Cairo church,” notes Paul O'Grady.
Ambulance and explosives brigades are working at the scene, Egyptian Interior Minister Magdi Abdel Ghaffar also arrived, who received to strengthen the protection of churches throughout the country and begin investigative measures. The main objects of the capital's infrastructure - the airport and the subway - were also taken under protection. The Supreme State Security Prosecutor's Office will also join the investigation of the terrorist attack. Prosecutor General Nabil Sadek issued a relevant order, RIA Novosti reported.
Public reaction
Egyptian Prime Minister Sheriff Ismail is also at the scene of the explosion. He stated that such attacks will not destroy the unity of the republic's residents.
“The entire Egyptian people, be they Muslims or Christians, are united in the face of this black terrorism. No terrorist attacks will undermine the Egyptians' desire to achieve progress and prosperity, but will only strengthen our resolve to move in this direction and fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Attacks on civilians and houses of worship are a sinful act that is rejected by all religions, it is another proof that terrorism has no religion, ”the politician quoted TASS as saying.
In connection with the terrorist attack, the Coptic Patriarch Pope Tavadros II interrupted his visit to Greece, where he was supposed to open the first Coptic church. Pope Francis has already expressed condolences to the relatives of the victims and support for Tavadros II, according to The National Catolic Reporter.
The terrorist act was also condemned by prominent theologians of the Islamic University of Al-Azhar.
In connection with the incident, the administration of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared three days of mourning.
“The presidential administration has declared three days of mourning throughout the country, starting today,” RIA Novosti quotes the document.
The terrorist attack in a Coptic church, which is adjacent to the main cathedral - the Church of St. Mark - became the largest in the past five years. In 2011, a Coptic church in Alexandria was also attacked. On New Year's Eve, a powerful bomb exploded in it. Then the victims were 24 people who left the temple after the festive mass.
Published on 1/21/16 11:54 PMTwo more IEDs were also neutralized. Meanwhile, Moscow and Cairo called for the creation of a broad anti-terrorist front.
Cairo, inssnatch: the victims of the explosion in Cairo were 10 people
In Cairo, an explosion occurred during an anti-terrorist special operation, when the police stormed and tried to defuse an explosive device in one of the apartments in Al-Haram where the terrorists were hiding.
The number of women has increased to 10 people. Among the dead - seven law enforcement officers and three civilians. Another 13 Egyptians were injured, including the head of the criminal department for the area where the incident occurred.
As a result of the incident, the inhabitants of three intkbbee houses were evacuated in the Al-Haram area, where the explosion had previously occurred, RIA Novosti reports, citing the local newspaper Akhbar al-Yaum. However, the reason for the evacuation was not reported.
At the scene, sappers and ambulance teams are working to evacuate the wounded. The blast wave destroyed part of the building's facade. The security forces cordoned off the area of the incident, all nearby streets were blocked.
Cairo, insdash: two more IEDs neutralized
It also became known that law enforcement officials defused two improvised explosive devices in Cairo, one of which was planted in the Cairo Mall on the Haram street leading to the Egyptian pyramids. The second explosive device was found near the Mena House hotel, located nearby, writes Gazeta.Ru.
Russian Foreign Ministry: Moscow and Cairo called for the creation of a broad anti-terrorist front
Meanwhile, Moscow and Cairo are in favor of the creation of a broad anti-terrorist front, the RSN reports, citing a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry following consultations between representatives of the two countries.
“The growing threats of terrorism and radicalism were noted and the importance of creating a broad anti-terrorist front based on the norms of international law and the provisions of the UN Charter was emphasized,” the agency's website said.
The talks were held by Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Mikhail Bogdanov and Deputy Foreign Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt O. Al-Magduba.
In particular, they discussed the settlement of the situation in Libya and on the Palestinian-Israeli track. “Special attention was paid to the development of the situation in and around Syria. The common position of Moscow and Cairo on the lack of alternatives to a political settlement of the Syrian crisis through an inclusive inter-Syrian dialogue under the auspices of the UN and accompanied by the International Syrian Support Group was reaffirmed.