Says Egypt’s military support for Saudi Arabia would be limited to defending the kingdom’s territory
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a welcoming ceremony at Cairo’s International airport. PHOTO: AFP
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Egypt’s military effort to defend Saudi Arabia would not include an attack on Yemen and would be limited to defending the kingdom’s territory and borders, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency spokesperson on Wednesday.
On Monday, Egypt’s parliament delayed until October 26 a vote on authorising the armed forces to support Saudi Arabia if requested, lawmakers said, extending deliberations over a potentially deeper Egyptian role following recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthis.
Egypt would also defend the territory of any other Arab country if asked, while its military effort would not extend beyond Egypt or a fellow Arab state whose security and stability Cairo sought to protect, the statement said.
Read: Egypt’s Sisi seeks parliament’s backing to help defend Saudi Arabia if asked
Sisi added that Egypt’s support for Gulf states was an extension of shared Arab national security.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have in recent days attacked Riyadh’s international airport and the state oil giant Saudi Aramco, amid renewed fighting with the Saudi-backed forces of the internationally recognised government following the collapse of a truce.
The statement came days after the Egyptian president said last week that Cairo would take all necessary measures to defend Saudi Arabia if requested, amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom.
Sisi said Egypt would act in accordance with the directives of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The crown prince visited Sisi on September 15, following a renewed outbreak of fighting in Yemen, to discuss several issues, including security and navigation in the Red Sea.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia are close strategic and economic partners. Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Gulf states provided Egypt with billions of dollars in aid, central-bank deposits and investments after the military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
Egypt also joined the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in 2015 to support the Yemeni government against the Houthis.
