Terror Groups Operating in Sinai

[Hafiz]

Attacks on tourists aren’t new and its easy to forget the previous terror and how Egypt and tourism recovered.

2006, when bombs killed 23 people in the Sinai town of Dahab.
In 2005, 88 people died in a bomb attack in Sharm El-Sheikh,
in 2004, 31 people died and 151 were injured in a blast in Taba.

These are in addition to the terrorism against tourists by al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya in the 1990’s.

The little evidence on the current problems, including attacks on tourists, indicates that the situation, at least in Sinai is very complex and serious. US experts claim more than more than 5 distinct organizations (possibly some quite new) ‘working’ there, the army doing a bad job and hiding their bad performance and the number of attacks much higher than reported with 1 group, Ansar, allegedly committing c300 attacks in the 7 months to February. Seems very high. The army's performance probably isn't helped by using conscripts (several reports of large scale killings of conscripts) but, what the hell, if you were a skilled career officer whose mates were the same wouldn't you chose to shovel the unskilled kids into this furnace.

Up until reading the articles below I had assumed that the current troubles in Sinai were Bedouin based or just greatly exaggerated. Instead the terrorism in Sinai now seems very large, linked with fundamentalism and not just local grievances, has been brewing for years and defies the enemy to belatedly suppress it.

http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hi ... irstrikes/

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/egypt-bomb- ... z2tdJY1jRR

The terrorist organizations currently alleged to be operating in Sinai include: Several al Qaeda-inspired and/or al Qaeda-linked groups. These include Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (Ansar Jerusalem), Al Qaeda in the Sinai Peninsula (AQSP) and Ansar al Jihad, the Muhammad Jamal Network (MJN), the Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem (MSC), Al Salafiya Al Jihadiya in Sinai (Salafi Jihadist Movement in the Sinai), and al Tawhid wal Jihad, among others. In addition, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has established a presence in the Sinai. - See more at: http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hi ... XBmFc.dpuf

The Foundation for the Defense of Democracy appears middle of the road, gives public testimony to Congress so it has some standing, and contains a glut of articles on the security situation in Egypt. In a depressing number of cases its arguments are based on local Egyptian media and anyone can make spelling mistakes.

http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hi ... -in-egypt/
http://nationalinterest.org/print/comme ... aqdis-9765

[Hafiz]

A recent Reuters update based on an on-the-ground report within Sinai.

The report says that army tactics are failing and are alienating local Bedouin, the terrorists are moving out of Sinai into the delta and the election of Sisi will likely lead to increased terrorism.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/ ... 5020140316

Others say that the army is lying about its successes, losses and the losses of the terrorists.