Egypt pardons 54 convicts from Sinai Peninsula upon request from tribal leaders

By Ibrahim al-Khazen

ISTANBUL (AA) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Tuesday pardoned 54 inmates from the Sinai Peninsula convicted of various crimes.

A presidential statement said the move was taken in response to requests from tribal leaders in Rafah and Sheikh Zuwied in northern Sinai.

“The decision came in appreciation of the historic role of the people of Sinai in combating terrorism and achieving development and stability,” the statement said.

It, however, did not provide any details about convicts and their sentences.

The Sinai Peninsula shares borders with the Gaza Strip, where more than 45,300 people have been killed in a deadly Israeli onslaught since last year.

The Egyptian president issued several pardon decrees in the past years under which thousands of inmates were released, as part of state efforts to achieve national reconciliation.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar