Many top positions in the Ministry of Interior were subject to a reshuffle Thursday, including 15 security directorate heads and different departments, however, the Abdel Fattah Harhour remained in his position of North Sinai Security Director.
Despite continuous state reports that the volatile peninsula is safe and neutralised from militant insurgencies, attacks and drive-by shootings targeting police and military personnel occur on an almost weekly basis, leaving several causalities.
On Friday, local media reported that security forces thwarted an attack on a checkpoint in Sheikh Zuweid, leaving about 16 militants dead.
Harhour, who is in charge of the critical governorate, has been attempting to restore security and peace to the cities often targeted by militants, such as Al-Arish, Sheikh Zuweid, and Rafah.
The ministry’s reshuffle included 37 heads of departments, and personnel in 22 security directorates.
Although the rate of bombings and militants attacks have radically decreased in many cities across Egypt, Sinai remains an exception.
Several attacks took place on 21 July across North Sinai, injuring five conscripts, one non-commissioned officer, and one citizen.
On 19 July, parliament approved the extension of the state of emergency in North Sinai, following a presidential decree ordering that it continue. The curfew hours were first imposed in 2014 and have been continuously renewed since then.
