By Mohamed al-Hashimi
CAIRO
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Monday issued a presidential decree ordering the army to guard public facilities and vital state institutions.
The decree will remain in effect for two years, according to a statement from the presidency.
According to the decree, the army will be responsible for guarding electricity plants and electrical transmission towers; gas pipelines; oil fields; railroads; roads and bridges; and other vital public utilities, presidential spokesman Alaa Youssef said in the statement.
These facilities, he said, would be treated as military facilities in the period during which the decree remains in effect.
"Violations committed against these facilities will be referred to military prosecutors and then to military courts," Youssef said.
He said the decree sought to protect these facilities with a view to securing the delivery of public services.
Youssef added that the Egyptian president had issued the decree after consulting with Egypt's National Defense Council, which is also headed by the president, and getting approval from the cabinet and State Council.
The National Defense Council – which, along with the president includes top army generals, the prime minister and the parliament speaker – is mandated with taking measures to protect the country.
Egypt has been on high alert since an attack on a military site on Friday in the restive, northeastern Sinai Peninsula left 30 soldiers dead.
The Egyptian government declared three days of national mourning following the incident, which was the deadliest attack on security personnel since last year's ouster of president Mohamed Morsi by the army.
In response, al-Sisi imposed a three-month state of emergency in parts of North Sinai late Friday evening.
Egyptian authorities on Saturday closed the Rafah border crossing linking Egypt's Sinai Peninsula to the Gaza Strip.
On Saturday, al-Sisi told Egyptian state television that he would take measures on the border with the Gaza Strip aimed at "totally eradicating" terrorism.
www.aa.com.tr/en
