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President Sisi urges Egyptians to 'defend state' ahead of protests Egyptian President Sisi in warning over anti-government protests
(about 2 hours later)
Egypt's President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has urged citizens to defend the state and its institutions ahead of planned anti-government protests. Egypt's president has warned against what he called attempts to destabilise the state, ahead of planned anti-government protests.
In a televised speech, Mr Sisi said attempts to destabilize Egypt would not succeed if the country stood united. In a televised address, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said "evil" forces were conspiring against the country but would not succeed.
Security has been stepped up across the country, with officials warning they will deal firmly with protesters. A range of groups have called for demonstrations, including against the handing of two islands to Saudi Arabia.
Discontent has worsened following a recent deal to cede control over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. Security has been stepped up across the country and at key sites.
Mr Sisi has defended his decision, saying the islands of Sanafir and Tiran always belonged to Saudi Arabia. The protests have been called in defiance of an anti-protest law that gives the authorities the power to ban gatherings of more than 10 people.
Secular and leftist activists have called for demonstrations on Monday in defiance of an anti-protest law that bans unauthorised gatherings. Monday is also national holiday that marks the anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula in 1982.
The protests have been scheduled on a holiday that marks the anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula in 1982. President Sisi's decision earlier this month to cede control over the two Red Sea islands sparked a rare public backlash against him.
"I see there are people calling once again for damage to (Egypt's) security and stability," Mr Sisi said, repeating that there were "evil" forces conspiring against his country. He was forced to defend the move, saying the islands - Sanafir and Tiran - had always belonged to Saudi Arabia.
"Our responsibility is to protect security and stability, and I promise Egyptians that no one will terrorise them again." Egyptian troops have been stationed on the islands since 1950 at the request of Saudi Arabia. Critics though have objected to the way Mr Sisi has handed them back to Saudi Arabia, saying it is anti-constitutional.
Troops have been deployed to key areas of Egypt's main cities, and agents have rounded up dozens of activists, journalists and lawyers from their homes and cafes in Cairo. In his speech on Sunday, Mr Sisi said there were "people calling once again for damage to [Egypt's] security and stability.
In a statement, Egypt's Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar said "security forces... will confront with extreme rigour any attempt to disturb public order," the Agence France-Presse news agency reported. "Our responsibility is to protect security and stability, and I promise Egyptians that no-one will terrorise them again."
Troops have been deployed to key areas of Egypt's main cities, and agents have reportedly rounded up dozens of activists, journalists and lawyers from their homes and cafes in Cairo.
In a statement, Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar said security forces would "confront with extreme rigour any attempt to disturb public order", AFP news agency reported.
Observers say public dissatisfaction with Mr Sisi has grown recently because of the poor state of the economy and recent alleged cases of abuse by security forces.Observers say public dissatisfaction with Mr Sisi has grown recently because of the poor state of the economy and recent alleged cases of abuse by security forces.
As former armed forces chief, Mr Sisi led the army's overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi, an ex-Muslim Brotherhood official, in 2013 following mass protests. As commander-in-chief of the armed forces in 2013, Mr Sisi led the military's overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi following mass protests against his rule.
Since then, more than 1,000 people have been killed and 40,000 are believed to have been jailed in a sweeping crackdown on dissent, most of them from the outlawed Brotherhood. Since then, more than 1,000 people have been killed and 40,000 are believed to have been jailed in a sweeping crackdown on dissent, most of them supporters of Morsi's now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
Local and international human rights activists say the situation in the country has never been worse, with Amnesty International saying Egypt has reverted "back to a police state". Local and international human rights activists say the situation in the country is dire, with Amnesty International saying Egypt has reverted "back to a police state".