Egypt marks Martyr’s Day on 9 March in commemoration of one of its bravest generals, Abdel-Moneim Riad, who died on that day in 1969, and to honour its fallen heroes who gave their lives for the dignity of their homeland.
“This is not a day that merely represents a passing memory, but one that renews within us the meanings of gratitude, appreciation and loyalty,” President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi said during the 43rd educational symposium on the occasion of Martyr’s Day.
“The martyrs gave their lives in defence of the soil of this homeland so that it may remain strong, capable of continuing the path of construction and development, and striving to shape the aspired future for the great Egyptian people.”
During the symposium, the president honoured a number of families of martyrs and those injured in military operations, before delivering a speech on the occasion.
Marty’s Day is an occasion marked annually in the presence of the president of the republic, the supreme commander of the Armed Forces.
The commemoration comes with comprehensive support for the martyrs’ families.
Upon President Al-Sisi’s directive, the Fund for the Care of the Families of Martyrs, Victims, the Missing, and the Wounded of Military, Security, and Terrorist Operations was established to provide the heroes’ families with sustained care and support.
Major-General Ahmed Hassan Abu Shorouk, director of the Association of Veterans and War Victims, told Al-Ahram Weekly that the Armed Forces’ commemoration embodies the highest values of sacrifice and sincere patriotism. He noted that Egypt’s history is rich with examples of the heroism and selflessness of soldiers who defended the nation’s security, adding proud chapters to the record of Egyptian patriotism and providing a guiding example for future generations.
The Association of Veterans and War Victims provides a wide range of activities and forms of support, including honouring the beneficiaries from the families of martyrs and those injured in military operations by providing them with pilgrimage and Umra trips. In addition, the association recognises outstanding students from general secondary education and universities.
According to its regulations, the association provides a variety of financial and moral assistance to the families of martyrs, the wounded, and its members.
According to Cabinet Decree 2804/2017, employment opportunities are provided for the wounded and the families of martyrs in coordination with the Central Agency for Organisation and Administration.
The sons and daughters of martyrs, victims, the missing, and those wounded in military, terrorist, and security operations are exempted from school fees and granted exceptions to enrolment when transferring between schools.
Martyrs’ children are also granted the Golden Card, which entitles them to receive services offered by government universities and institutes free of charge, in addition to priority access to scholarships at private, national and technological faculties.
Further support is provided through the provision of prosthetic and assistive devices, mobility aids, and orthopedic supports from the Prosthetics Factory managed by the Wafaa and Amal project. The project is one of the most important integrated care initiatives for war injured veterans and former combatants. It was established by the Armed Forces through the Association of Veterans and War Victims, and serves as a comprehensive centre providing medical, social, cultural, sports, and housing services for the injured and their families.
The association also provides care for those injured in operations and servicemen wounded during duty who reside at the Wafaa and Amal facility. Medical care is delivered to residents in coordination with the Armed Forces Medical Services Department, while appropriate rehabilitative treatment is provided by the Physical Therapy Centre.
The association also organises a variety of activities, including one-day trips for the families of martyrs and those injured in operations from across Egypt to military zones, naval and air bases, military academies, Armed Forces factories, military clubs, tourist sites, and national development projects.
REMEMBERING RIAD: On 8 March 1969, Egyptian artillery heavily bombarded Israeli positions along the Bar Lev Line. On 9 March, Lieutenant General Abdel-Moneim Riad arrived at the headquarters of the Second Army to encourage the officers and soldiers.
From there he took a military vehicle to the front lines of the battle. Only the width of the canal separated the forward position from the location of the enemy. There he moved among the troops, listening closely to their concerns.
Suddenly, Israeli artillery shells began to rain down. Artillery exchanges intensified as both sides traded fire. Riad commandeered the battle, flanked by the army commander and the director of artillery.
A few minutes later, a shell fell close to the trench in which Riad and the army commander had taken cover. The powerful explosion sent shrapnel into the trench and Riad was killed. His body was transported in a military vehicle to Ismailia Hospital and later transferred to Maadi Military Hospital in Cairo.
Riad oversaw a number of important military successes during the War of Attrition. Among them was the Battle of Ras Al-Esh in June 1967, when a small Egyptian infantry force prevented Israeli troops from seizing the town of Port Fouad in Port Said governorate.
During his tenure, the Israeli destroyer Eilat was sunk on 21 October 1967, and several Israeli warplanes were shot down in 1967 and 1968.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 12 March, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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