Egypt

Key Issues

During the Arab Spring of 2011, Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak was deposed in an uprising, leading to the election of Islamist Mohamed Mursi, backed by the Muslim Brotherhood. After a series of controversial moves by Mursi and his followers, including constitutional reform in an attempt to create an Islamist autocracy, the army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted him in July 2013. An interim government was established with Adly Mansour as the interim president and Hazem el-Beblawi as the prime minister. A crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood ensued, as Egyptian army and security forces regarded the organization as a terrorist group. The Egyptian army was highly suspicious of the Muslim Brotherhood, which it believed was plotting not only in Egypt but across the Middle East to unify the region under an Islamic caliphate. Although the Muslim Brotherhood's leaders urged followers to denounce violence and remain peaceful in the face of violent crackdown, the risk of members turning violent was potent. To the government, the Muslim Brotherhood was no different from jihadis operating out of the Sinai Peninsula, which had intensified their violent activities in the aftermath of Mursi's ousting. On August 14, 2013, Egyptian security forces violently cracked down on a mass protest being held at Rabaa al-Adawiya in Cairo, killing hundreds while arresting scores of others. New elections were announced and the constitution was rewritten, this time with a ban on religious political parties. (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-brotherhood-special-report/special-report-as-egypts-brotherhood-retreats-risk-of-extremism-rises-idUSBRE99R0DU20131028)  

On February 24, 2014, the Egyptian government resigned to allow Sisi to announce his candidacy for the presidency. (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-politics/egypt-government-resigns-paving-way-for-sisi-to-seek-presidency-idUSBREA1N0KO20140224)

In the shadows of sweeping political change, militant attacks threatened the stability of Egypt. Groups such as Ansar al-Sharia, an Islamist group linked to al-Qaida, set up a local branch in Egypt, Ansar al-Sharia fi Ard al-Kinanah. (https://twitter.com/ezzsaid/status/441210592880504832)  

A stable Egypt is considered of strategic importance in the Middle East due to its control of the Suez Canal as well as its peace agreement with Israel. (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-politics/egypt-calls-early-presidential-election-as-violence-spreads-idUSBREA0P0GR20140126)

References

Michael, Georgey, and Perry, Tom. "Special Report: As Egypt's Brotherhood retreats, risk of extremism rises," Reuters, October 28, 2013. (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-brotherhood-special-report/special-report-as-egypts-brotherhood-retreats-risk-of-extremism-rises-idUSBRE99R0DU20131028)

Alsharif, Asma, and Saleh, Yasmine. "Egypt government resigns, paving way for Sisi to seek presidency," Reuters, February 24, 2014. (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-politics/egypt-government-resigns-paving-way-for-sisi-to-seek-presidency-idUSBREA1N0KO20140224)

Said, Ezzedine, March 5, 2014. (https://twitter.com/ezzsaid/status/441210592880504832) 

Alsharif, Asma, and Nasralla, Shadia. "Egypt calls early presidential election as violence spreads," Reuters, January 26, 2014. (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-politics/egypt-calls-early-presidential-election-as-violence-spreads-idUSBREA0P0GR20140126)