Sisi Says Construction in Sinai is the ‘First Line of Defense’

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi lays a wreath over President Mohamed Anwar El-Sadat's tomb (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said the reconstruction of the Sinai Peninsula is its "first line of defense" against the attacks of armed groups.

North Sinai has been a hub for extremist groups loyal to ISIS for years, and the area witnessed several terrorist operations following the protests on January 25, 2011. The attacks increased after the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, before the Egyptian forces waged a fierce war against these groups.