Egypt Sets Up Regional Anti-Terrorist Center in Sahara-Sahel

Egypt will be the epicenter of a military body equipped with ultramodern means to neutralize terrorist activities in the Sahara and Sahel states, according to official sources.

The Sahel is called the Eco-climatic zone of a thousand square kilometers in width and 5,400 in length that runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, south of the Sahara.

Improving anti-terrorist cooperation, strengthening security and economic and political ties among member countries are the objectives of the center that covers the countries of the CEN-SAD, which will occupy an area of ​​14,000 square meter.

The center has 'state-of-the-art vision and listening equipment, which will allow to improve collaboration in this sense,' adds the text, released at the end of a meeting this week of the defense ministers of the 29 member countries of the group, established in 1998.

Egypt's decision perfectly suit it as it provides the government of President Abdel Fattah el Sisi with a regional authority to combat the Islamist-sensitive armed groups operating in the Sinai peninsula and that have caused a significant number of casualties to the Army and the Police.