News

German Student Deported from Egypt Following Release

German Student Deported from Egypt Following Release

According to local news outlet Sada El Balad, Egyptian authorities have deported Mahmoud Ezzat Abdul Aziz from Egypt to Germany on Thursday.

The news of the Göttingen-originating student Mahmoud Aziz ‘s detention in Cairo airport, on the 27 of December while traveling with his brother Malik Aziz, was confirmed by German Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Adelbahr.

Abdul Aziz was a student at the Islamic University in Saudi Arabia, and had been detained upon arrival.  Local authorities justified the arrest due to having received notice that the student was attempting to join terrorist elements in the Sinai.

However, Egyptian authorities also confirmed that Abdul Aziz had not committed any crimes and, as he forfeited his Egyptian nationality, was freed from detention.

Alternatively, the fate of 18-year-old Isa El Sabbagh, who was detained on December 17 at Luxor airport, remains unclear.

El Sabbah, who had forfeited his Egyptian nationality in 2007, was en route to visit his grandfather.

Families of both disappeared men had claim that their sons were not politically active and thus local authorities lacked justification for their detention.

However, Sada El Balad reported that authorities had found maps of North Sinai in El Sabbagh’s possessions.

Egyptian soldiers and police special forces are seen during a launch of a major assault against militants in the Sinai peninsula. Photo credit: Reuters

Terrorists, including the IS-affiliated groups in North Sinai, have mainly focused their attacks on security forces as a result of the ongoing conflict in the area of Sinai.

Egyptian security authorities claimed he was affiliated with IS members in Germany and had the intention of joining Daesh in Northern Sinai.

Egypt’s aggressive military operation ‘Sinai 2018’ began on 9 February aiming to eliminate terrorism in the province, which has been troubled by an Islamist militant insurgency since 2013. The city of Arish has been particularly affected, namely the  small Coptic Christian community which has largely left to other parts of Egypt.

North and central Sinai are still deemed too unsafe for tourists; the south, however, is a particularly popular tourist spot which many international and local travelers who enjoy taking to Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba for diving and snorkeling.

Saudi Arabia's Shura Council Bans Child Marriages
Egypt's Wildlife Rescue Team Saves Rare Wolf Species From Extinction


Subscribe to our newsletter


News

More in News

Egypt's Central Bank in Cairo courtesy of Reuters

Central Bank of Egypt Raises Key Interest Rates by 2%

Amina Zaineldine30 March 2023

Egypt’s Former Ministry of Interior to be Turned into a Hotel

Dina Khadr30 March 2023

Egypt Joins New Development Bank to Find Alternative Forms of Finance

Egyptian Streets30 March 2023

Egypt Introduces New Measures for Visas to Increase Tourism

Egyptian Streets29 March 2023

Egypt’s Public Prosecution Gives Temporary Custody to Baby Shenouda’s Adoptive Family

Farah Rafik29 March 2023

Egypt Defeats Malawi 4-0 in 2023 African Cup Qualifiers

Marina Makary28 March 2023

Egypt to Get Its Very Own Fashion Week For the First Time

Egyptian Streets26 March 2023

Egypt Defeats Malawi 2-0 in Qualifiers for Africa Cup of Nations

Farah Rafik25 March 2023