Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday will attend the main part of a military exercise in Alexandria, the country’s biggest in nearly 20 years.
The exercise, dubbed Badr 2014, began on 11 October and will last until 6 November. It involves a strategic defence operation to repel and defeat enemy forces.
All main branches of the armed forces are part of the exercise. El-Sisi, as president, is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces.
The marine manoeuvre will take place offshore from Alexandria in the Mediterranean Sea on a day commemorating Egypt’s Navy.
Preparations include raising combat readiness, presenting a report on the effectiveness of participating forces and examining the technical and administrative status of weapons and equipment.
Army spokesman Mohamed Samir said in a press conference on Saturday that “the manoeuvre aims to assert the combat preparedness of the armed forces and its ability to defend Egyptian territories”.
The military exercises began in Egypt in October 1980, following the 1978 Camp David Accords.
Operation Bright Star has been held biennially since then, led by American and Egyptian military. Over the years it has come to involve over 10 states and thousands of troops.