Egypt’s parliament approved unanimously on Monday a law to set up a Supreme Council to confront terrorism and extremism.
The new council replaces the National Council for Counter Terrorism and Extremism, which was established by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in July.
According to state-run media, the new council is assigned to mobilize institutional and societal capacities of the state to reduce the causes of terrorism and address its effects, as well as to work to develop a comprehensive national strategy to confront terrorism and extremism internally and externally every five years.
The Council consists of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the head of the Parliament, Prime Minister, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, head of the Coptic Orthodox, the ministers of defense, interior and foreign affairs, in addition to the head of the General Intelligence Service and other public figures.
The council seeks to mobilize institutional and societal capacities to combat terrorism in all its forms, trace its sources of funding, limit its causes and address its effects.
“The Council shall enjoy legal, financial, technical and administrative autonomy in the exercise of its functions, activities and competences. The Council shall be located in the governorate of Cairo and may be held in any other place determined by the President of the Republic,” the articles read.
Moreover, the council is assigned to establish a comprehensive national strategy to confront terrorism and extremism, both domestically and abroad, for a period of not more than five years, through adopting policies, plans and programs to confront terrorism and extremism.
It will also work to set up mechanisms to follow up on the implementation of the national strategy to confront terrorism and extremism and to monitor the implementation of its work.
Since 2013, North Sinai has seen an increase in conflict between security forces and Islamist militants, who pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2014.
The group has launched scores of violent attacks against army and police forces in North Sinai killing hundreds of security personnel and has also carried out deadly bombings of churches and mosques.
The military and security forces have responded by carrying out large scale operations against the militants, in turn killing hundreds.
