700K feddans of state land reclaimed from squatters in May

CAIRO – 31 May 2017: About 700,000 feddans (727,000 acres) of state land have been reclaimed from squatters since the beginning of May, sources at the Ministry of Local Development said in a Wednesday statement.

There were more than 200,000 cases of illegal encroachment on state property, the statement said, adding that 85,000 cases were cleared and others legalized.

Some governorates have been declared squatter-free, including Cairo, Sharqia, New Valley, Gharbia, the Red Sea and Ismailia, the statement added.

Earlier in May, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi ordered the army and police to investigate land encroachments and reclaim illegally acquired state lands.