Egyptians hold demo over island deal with Saudi Arabia

Egypt's police have "encircled" major routes into Cairo as the government attempts to prevent a planned protest over the decision to hand two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.

According to the reports, the Interior Ministry increased security around the capital on Friday to prevent what it called "infiltration of the terrorist group" - a reference to the banned Muslim Brotherhood.

Though the authorities have accused the Brotherhood of organizing "tendentious" protests, a variety of groups have called for protests.

The ministry on Thursday night put out a statement urging Egyptians "not to get carried away by tendentious calls for protests" and warning against any attempts to break the law.

The statement added that the ministry will take "all decisive legal measures" to maintain security.

Despite the strict security measures, protest marches set out from 30 mosques across the country after Friday prayers.

Protesters vented their anger at President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's decision to give Saudi Arabia control of Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir, reports from Cairo said.

“Our right to this land is won by blood, not by documents and maps,” organizers wrote on Facebook page of the event.

“We gave more than 100,000 martyrs in our wars with Israel to restore this land. Tiran and Sanafir are our right, Egypt’s right, the right of our children and of our ancestors who were killed there. This right must be returned, even over our dead bodies,” they added.

SS