(AFP File Photo)
The Egyptian military has regained control of land in Matruh designated for the construction of a nuclear power plant after resistance from the area’s residents.
The armed forces expressed “sincere thanks, appreciation, and love” for the people of the city of Al-Dabaa for their role in handing over the allocated land to the army.
“The armed forces has undertaken all necessary measures to compensate the affected citizens,” adding that the other demands of the citizens will be examined by state agencies in the framework of the law.
The armed forces also “emphasised the optimal use of this land in the construction of a project to generate electricity, which represents a civilised step to achieve the comprehensive development of Egypt’s future.”
The statement issued by the armed forces’ spokesperson praised the citizens of the town for providing an “honourable model” of national responsibility.
Residents of the town located in Marsa Matrouh along Egypt’s north coast handed the land over to the army after occupying it for approximately 16 months after breaking into the construction site and conducting a sit-in that began at the beginning of last year, saying the land had been illegally confiscated from them. Radioactive material was reportedly stolen when the property was stormed.
After a deal was made between the military and residents of the town, the land was officially handed over in a ceremony between residents of Al-Dabaa and high ranking military officials.
The power plant will be over 50 million square metres according to the government’s State Information Service and will be under the sponsorship of the Egyptian military.
The plot of land was originally selected to be the site of a nuclear power plant in 1980 according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), but construction was postponed six years later due to the Chernobyl accident.
