Tillerson's Visit to Cairo; Commitment of Egypt and the U.S. to Combat ISIS in the Middle East

During U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's meeting with Egyptian officials in Cairo, the governments of the U.S. and Egypt emphasized their commitment to fighting ISIS militants in the Middle East. Cairo was the first stop on Tillerson's week-long trip to the region. According to the Associated Press, Tillerson and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry stated on Monday that the two sides had productive discussions regarding regional security issues and the battle against the Islamic State group. The Egyptian branch of ISIS, based in the Sinai Peninsula, has been carrying out armed attacks against military and civilian targets in the most populous Arab country for years. In a joint press conference with Shoukry, Tillerson said that Egypt is a key part of the international coalition against the Islamic State and that Washington is "committed to expanding this cooperation in the coming years." He added, "We have agreed on our close cooperation to combat terrorism, including a bilateral commitment in the fight against the Islamic caliphate." Shoukry also stated that "these relations are of great value to us, and we thank the U.S. for its assistance, which benefits both sides." Egypt is currently conducting a large-scale military operation against ISIS militants who have attacked military and civilian targets in the Sinai region and some remote areas of the country in recent years. Since 2013, when Abdel Fattah el-Sisi overthrew the Muslim Brotherhood government led by Mohamed Morsi, attacks by Islamist militants have intensified. These militants have recently become bolder; in November, they massacred 311 people in a mosque in northern Sinai, and in December, they attempted to assassinate Egypt's defense and interior ministers during a visit to the Sinai region by firing missiles. A state of emergency has long been in place in northern Sinai, with martial law enforced in its most chaotic areas. However, in recent days, the alert level has increased due to the new military operations by the Egyptian army in the region. Many gas stations and shops are closed, and due to the potential for casualties, the leave of doctors and medical staff at hospitals in the area has been canceled. This operation, which began at noon on Friday, includes not only northern and central Sinai but also the Nile Delta and the Western Desert of Egypt. An Egyptian army spokesman stated in a televised announcement, "The aim of this operation is to target terrorists and organized criminal groups." It is still unclear how long this operation will continue. The Associated Press adds that the Egyptian army announced on Monday that 28 militants have been killed and 92 others arrested during this operation. The Egyptian army claims to have destroyed dozens of targets, including ammunition depots, vehicles, shelters, communication centers of the militants, and illegal opium poppy farms. The Associated Press notes that journalists cannot enter the Sinai region, making it impossible to obtain independent information about casualties among the Egyptian army. Phone lines and mobile coverage in the area are usually cut off. The Egyptian army has not yet released any information about its own casualties. This military campaign began a month before Egypt's presidential elections, in which Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will not face any significant challengers. El-Sisi claims he is the only person who can restore security to the country. This is while attacks by Islamist militants have increased during his presidency. A video recently released by the Egyptian branch of ISIS calls on militants to ramp up their attacks during the presidential elections and warns the public to stay away from polling stations. Voting will take place over three days from March 26 to 28, and critics say the extended voting days aim to encourage disinterested people to participate in the elections. The U.S. government, which provides about $1.1 billion in military aid and hundreds of millions in civilian aid to Egypt each year, suspended about $100 million of this aid in the summer of 2017 due to the passage of new laws aimed at preventing financial assistance to civil institutions in Egypt, particularly human rights groups.