Egypt's defence minister and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Mohamed Zaki, met on Monday with a number of soldiers from the army's special forces, including commandos and paratroopers, for the first time since he was sworn into office last month. The meeting started with a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs of the police and army who had lost their lives while on duty. During the meeting the minister congratulated the officers on the 66th anniversary of the July 23 revolution. He also conveyed greetings from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. Zaki pointed out that the internal and external risks and challenges facing Egypt and the region aim to destroy Egyptian national security. He said that these challenges demand that the armed forces maintain the highest levels of efficiency and combat capabilities in order to enable them to carry out the tasks which will secure the nation's borders, secure its internal front and abolish all kinds of extremism and terrorism. Zaki held a dialogue with the special forces during which he discussed the developments in the region and the challenges to Egyptian national security. He also discussed the ongoing national projects, and those that have been achieved, which have restored confidence and the growth in the Egyptian economy. The minister stressed the great responsibility thrown on the Egyptian people to build the future of their nations and to restore the country's security and stability. The special forces pledged during the meeting that they would fulfil all the tasks and duties assigned to them in order to protect Egypt's security, integrity and the sanctity of its territory.
