BICOM

Egypt has doubled its military personnel in the Sinai Peninsula in the last year in order to fight the ISIS affiliated group Wilayat Sinai.

The head of the Egyptian armed forces, Maj. Gen. Mohammed el-Shahat, revealed in a speech that there are currently 88 battalions stationed in the Sinai peninsula to combat ISIS fighters. That number includes “42,630 soldiers and 800 vehicles”.

It is thought that the increase in Egyptian forces was coordinated with Israel, as they both share concerns over the presence of ISIS in the area. Senior Israeli defence sources have said recently on Israeli Kan TV that “whenever the Egyptians ask [to add to their troop numbers], we consider it”.

The IDF spokesperson confirmed that they “constantly monitor” Egyptian military operations on the peninsula and that any increase in forces “ has been carried out in coordination with the IDF”. According to the security annex to the 1979 Camp David peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, the Sinai was to be a demilitarised zone.  Any changes to troop levels need to be coordinated and agreed between the parties.

Last month the New York Times reported Egypt has secretly allowed Israel to carry out air strikes against ISIS-affiliated fighters in the Sinai Peninsula with the approval of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The report claimed that unmarked Israeli drones, helicopters and planes conducted more than 100 air strikes against terrorist groups in Sinai in the last two years. Israeli officials declined to comment on the story. An Egyptian military spokesperson said that the report was “not credible”.

Israeli and Egyptian Energy Ministers met yesterday in Brussels, two weeks after they signed a $15bn deal which allows Israel to export natural gas to Egypt. Both ministers met with EU officials who agreed to allocate €70m to promote an Israel-Europe natural gas pipeline.