The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy’s Egypt Security Watch explores the nature of the security threat that Egypt faces, providing insight and analysis on the state’s response to this threat. Since the publication of our previous quarterly report in April, we have also updated two Egypt Security Watch terror group profiles: Hassm and Liwaa al-Thawra. TIMEP has also published analysis articles and blog posts, as well as a special briefing on events and developments in Egypt’s security. This report covers the trends and developments in the first quarter of 2017, January through March.
- Attacks on Egypt’s Coptic minority continued in quarter one, and three were claimed by Wilayat Sinai. The string of attacks and rumors of a hit list of Christian residents led dozens of Christian families from Arish to leave for cities in the mainland.
- The number of reported terror attacks across Egypt dropped to 135 in the first quarter of 2017, compared to 168 attacks in the fourth quarter of 2016 and 209 in the third quarter.
- Nearly 98 percent of attacks reported throughout Egypt in the first quarter were carried out in North Sinai province; 60 of these 132 attacks were claimed by Wilayat Sinai. Three attacks were reported this quarter outside of North Sinai, compared to 13 last quarter and 12 in the third quarter of 2016.
- Officially reported counter-terrorism operations increased in the first quarter, with 31 operations reported compared to 24 operations last quarter and only five in the third quarter of 2016.
As with all of our work at TIMEP, we are committed to furthering policies toward the region that both foster safety and security for its citizens, while recognizing that these must be based on a sincere and comprehensive respect for human rights and the rule of law. We hope that these reports will contribute to a sound understanding of the security situation necessary to inform this policy approach.
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