Security forces to be deployed during Christmas festivities

CAIRO – 29 December 2017: Security forces prepare planes for maintaining safety and stability during Christmas and New Year Eve celebrations across Egypt.

Upon orders from the Minister of Interior Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar, security and police forces will be deploying at the entries and exits of churches and roads leading to churches, prevent cars from parking in areas surrounding churches, fitting the entries with metal detectors and gates, intensifying security check points and stationing vehicles at vital points with officers and security members who are able to deal with any security situation.

Security forces will implement these plans before and during festivities, synchronized with traffic services on different streets and main squares to deal with citizens and traffic.

Policewomen will be available to check women coming to churches for Christmas Mass.

In Cairo, where a bombing at Egypt's largest Coptic cathedral killed at least 25 people last December, the Interior Ministry said police would conduct regular searches of the streets around churches, ahead of the Coptic celebration of Christmas on January 7.

On April 9, two explosions targeted churches in Tanta, north of Cairo, and Alexandria during Palm Sunday services, leaving at least 44 dead and over 70 injured.