Egyptian border policeman displays pictures of four of their colleagues who were kidnapped last Thursday, during a protest at the closed Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza strip, in Rafah, Egypt, Monday (Photo: AP)
Seven Egyptian security personnel, who were released by kidnappers in the Sinai Peninsula on Wednesday morning, have landed at Al-Maza military airport in Cairo.
President Mohamed Morsi, Defence Minister Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi and Chief of Staff Sedky Sobhy were at the airport to receive them.
A press conference by the armed forces will be held shortly.
The seven security personnel – a conscript of the armed forces and six police personnel – had been held by unidentified kidnappers in the Sinai Peninsula since their abduction last Thursday.
An unknown security source told Al-Ahram Arabic that the kidnapped soldiers were left in the desert around 70km south of Al-Arish before a military helicopter picked them up.
In comments published on Twitter, President Morsi praised Egypt’s military, general intelligence and army intelligence for their role in resolving the hostage crisis.
Morsi also praised the people of Sinai for “their patriotic stance, and for putting the nation’s interest above all.”
“Long live Egypt. I am waiting for the arrival of my sons,” Morsi added.
At separate press conference scheduled for 11pm at the presidential palace, spokesmen from the presidential office, the military and the interior ministry will explain how the hostage crisis was resolved.
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