Sinai message not in response to jihadi video: Military source

The Defense Ministry’s Sinai video, published on Saturday, was not a response to Friday’s video by the newly proclaimed “Province of Sinai,” a military source claims.

The ministry posted a YouTube video on Saturday, titled “The Egyptian Military’s Message from Sinai,” depicting edited footage of military raids, shelling and combat techniques, coupled with soldier’s statements.

A day before, a video appeared in jihadi chat groups highlighting recent attacks by “Province of Sinai,” Ansar Beit al-Maqdes’ new name following its recently sworn allegiance to the Islamic State last week.

The video showed a montage of several militant operations, including explosions targeting police personnel, in addition to alleged footage from the recent attack on the military checkpoint in Karm al-Qawadees, in which 30 security personnel were killed.

The title “Province of Sinai” is used, accompanied by the flag of the Islamic State, raised several times throughout the 30-minute video, which appeared hours after the head of the Islamic State Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi accepted the group’s allegiance.

A military source told Mada Masr, in a phone conversation, that the response of the Armed Forces to the video would be “on the ground,” denying that the military’s Sinai video was posted in response. He added that Province of Sinai’s video has nothing to do with Islam, and asserted that such groups are incapable of facing the Egyptian military. He concluded that the morale of the military forces in Sinai has not been affected by this video.

The jihadi video showed a member of Province of Sinai promising more attacks against the Armed Forces and claiming that such attacks are a response to the military’s raids on civilians in Sinai. The video explained that future attacks would target soldiers and everyone affiliated with the Armed Forces.

Baghdadi had said earlier in a taped message, released online, that he accepts Ansar Beit al-Maqdes’ allegiance to the Islamic State, in addition to a number of other groups. “Our believers in the beloved Sinai rejoice in your fight against the tyrants of Egypt and the terrorism of the Jews … Now that you have started your fight and burnt your ships and survived the hardship of jihad, I tell you, be patient and you will be victorious.”

Baghdadi added that in the light of recent attacks, the Islamic State continues to grow, and has reached countries such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Libya and Algeria, and accepted new allegiances in these countries. He added that the new allies would change their names to new Islamic States, with newly appointed governors, who must be obeyed.

He called upon supporters in Yemen and Saudi Arabia to attack Shia members and leaders of their countries.

This is the second time Baghdadi has released a statement. His first was from Al-Maousel mosque in Iraq.

Since the ousting of former President Mohamed Morsi, the Egyptian military has been waging a crackdown on jihadi armed groups in Sinai, which reached a climax in recent weeks following the terrorist attack on Karm al-Qawadees checkpoint.  

After the attack, the military ordered the relocation of residents along the border between Egypt and Gaza, in addition to many diplomatic efforts, the last of which was a meeting with the Algerian foreign affairs minister to find ways to combat the Islamic State in Libya.

However, information about the current military campaign in Sinai is often limited to statements by the Armed Forces spokesperson, as independent media coverage in the region is minimal.