Egyptian official: All options open in dealing with Sinai soldiers’ kidnappers

Cairo/Gaza, Asharq Al-Awsat—North Sinai security chief, Gen Samih Beshadi, said yesterday that all options were now open in dealing with the kidnappers of the seven Egyptian soldiers. This comes in conjunction with the continuing closure by Egyptian soldiers of the Rafah Crossing with Gaza. Sources within the Egyptian president's office told Asharq Al-Awsat that President Mohamed Mursi has given instructions to speedily resolve the issue. The closure of the border crossing—Gaza’s only...

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Egypt closes Rafah border crossing in wake of kidnappings

London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Egyptian police closed the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on Friday after seven Egyptian seurity officers were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in the Sinai Peninsula near the border with Israel earlier this week. Egyptian Security and Bedouin sources said that a group of policemen and army officers travelling in taxis from Arish to Rafah were stopped and kidnapped by armed men. It was later confirmed by police that one of the abducted security officers had been...

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