Police Forces lining up in preperation to secure Egypt's celebrations of the Christmas and New Year (Photo: Egypt's Ministry of Interior)
Egypt's Ministry of Interior has said in a statement that it is implementing a comprehensive plan to secure Christmas and New Year's celebrations throughout the country.
The ministry said that security units have been deployed at major roads, squares, vital facilities and houses of worship across the state to protect and preserve the safety of citizens against any act that may disturb the celebrations.
The plan includes the mobilisation of mobile and rapid intervention units near areas of celebration and in the vicinity of important gatherings.
On Monday, Egypt's Armed Forces said in a statement that it has intensified measures to secure New Year's and Christmas celebrations nationwide.
The Ministry of Interior has conducted a number of proactive raids ahead of this year's Christmas celebrations.
A statement by the Ministry last Thursday said that police killed eight “high risk terrorists” and arrested four others in separate shootouts and security raids around Cairo and Giza governorates.
The suspects, who belonged to the Hasm terrorist group, were orchestrating a number of attacks against several targets to coincide with the upcoming Christmas celebrations under orders from the banned and terrorist-designated Muslim Brotherhood organisation, according to the statement.
Coptic Egyptians, who make up 90 percent of all Christians in the country, celebrate Christmas on 7 January. However, a minority of non-orthodox Christian Egyptians observe the holiday on 25 December.
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