Egypt president warns of action against anti-government protests

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi has warned that security forces will respond firmly to planned anti-government demonstrations over his decision to hand over two islands to Saudi Arabia.

"I see there are people calling once again for damage to (Egypt's) security and stability," Sisi said in a televised speech on Sunday, adding, "Our responsibility is to protect security and stability, and I promise Egyptians that no one will terrorize them again."

He also called on people to defend the country against the “forces of evil” a day before the protest, noting that the North African country should remain stable and that efforts to degrade it “won’t be successful” if people stand united.

Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar also said that the country’s “security and stability... constitute a red line and no attempt to damage them will be tolerated.”

"Security services... will confront with extreme rigor any attempt to disturb public order," he added.

The remarks came as people are expected to take to streets across the country on Monday, in defiance to a ban on unauthorized protests, to express their opposition to the president’s recent decision to hand over the control of two strategic Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.

SS