Egypt extends opening of Rafah border crossing (Egypt initially planned to open the border Sunday and Monday only)

Egyptian authorities announced on Monday the extension of the opening of Rafah border crossing for an additional day, after initially planning to open the border Sunday and Monday only.

On Sunday and Monday, 995 passed through the crossing; 614 entered Egypt while 381 left Egypt to Gaza.

This is the second time that the crossing has opened to Palestinians in the Israeli-besieged Gaza Strip since one of the deadliest attacks on Egyptian soldiers took place in North Sinai in October.

On 24 October, militants killed 31 army personnel and injured at least 30 others in a single car bomb attack in North Sinai. The border has been closed since then, apart from a two-day period starting 26 November.

Egyptian authorities have kept the crossing mostly closed since former president Mohamed Morsi's ouster in 2013, citing security concerns in the north of the peninsula where Islamist militants are active.

Egypt’s army has been facing a decade-long jihadist militant insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula, with militant attacks increasing over the past year and expanding into Cairo and the Nile Delta, killing hundreds of army and police personnel.

The military has also announced killing and arresting hundreds of militants.
english.ahram.org.eg
22/12/14
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Related:

• Egypt to reopen Gaza crossing on Sunday. (The Rafah crossing is the only access point to the Gaza Strip not controlled by Israel)

• Egypt to reopen Rafah crossing. (The tragedy of the Gaza Strip populations due to the continuation of the closure of Rafah crossing point)

• Egypt evacuates Gaza border area to create security buffer (video aljazeera)

• Egypt demolishes Sinai homes for Gaza border buffer ..

• L’Égypte crée une zone tampon le long de sa frontière avec Gaza ...

• Egypt clears Gaza border area to create security buffer ...