The Ministry of Education (Photo: Ahram)
Egyptian authorities have decided to close all schools in North Sinai until further notice starting Saturday.
The decision comes hours after the army announced the launch of a major counter-terrorism campaign dubbed Operation Sinai 2018 in north and central Sinai and other parts of the country.
The Ministry of Higher Education said in a statement that universities and other institutions of higher education will also be closed for one week.
The decision came following discussions between Egypt's Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel Ghafour and North Sinai governor Khaled Harhour over the current situation in the area in light of ongoing military and security antiterrorism operations, the ministry added.
Earlier Friday morning, the Egyptian Armed Forces launched Operation Sinai 2018 “to implement the plan of comprehensive confrontation of terrorist and criminal elements and organisations in north and middle Sinai and other areas in the Nile Delta and the desert areas west of the Nile valley," according to a statement by the Armed Forces.
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