Egypt’s Armed Forces have released a new documentary episode honouring a paratrooper killed during a prolonged counter-terrorism operation in North Sinai.
The sixth instalment of the series “Hekayat Batal” (A Hero’s Story), published by military spokesperson Brigadier General Staff Gharib Abdel Hafez, tells the story of First Sergeant Ibrahim Abdel Shafi el-Welily.
The episode, titled “The Last Picture”, captures both the final hours of the soldier’s life and the legacy he left behind.
Through testimonies from comrades, the film builds a deeply personal account. It opens with a quiet moment.
Just before deployment, el-Welily reportedly smiled and asked a colleague to take his photograph beside a tree.
“Take this picture,” he said. “It will be my last.” Those words stayed with his unit.
Three days earlier, while passing a farm in the Gelbana area, he had made another remark that unsettled his comrades.
He told his commander they would soon return to that location—and that not all of them would come back.
He added, with calm certainty, that he would be martyred there. Days later, that prediction became reality.
A mission that escalated
On 10 September 2022, a unit was deployed to a farm in Gelbana following reports of terrorist activity.
The initial task was routine. Soldiers were to check on local farmers, offer reassurance, and assess whether terrorists were interfering with their livelihoods.
But the situation changed rapidly.
As the unit moved in, they encountered a terrorist wearing an explosive belt.
El-Welily immediately dismounted and engaged him at close range.
He killed the attacker and secured both the device and his weapon, preventing a potential detonation. The unit then received orders to press on.
Inside the farm—described by witnesses as dense mango groves with limited visibility—the soldiers came under fire from terrorists hiding in trenches and improvised cover.
The terrain made it difficult to identify the source of gunfire. El-Welily advanced.
He directed his team to provide cover in a specific direction, then moved forward under fire.
According to testimonies, he killed several terrorists, evacuated a wounded comrade to safety, and returned to the frontline to continue the sweep.
The operation stretched into the night. It began shortly after midday and continued until around 4 am – nearly 21 hours of sustained combat.
During the final stages, a terrorist concealed beneath a tree opened fire.
El-Welily was struck in the chest and martyred. His unit pressed on.
By the end of the raid, 22 militants had been killed and the area cleared.
Colleagues describe El-Welily as disciplined and deeply committed to his role.
He was known for arriving early, taking responsibility seriously, and maintaining close bonds with those around him.
One officer recalled how he once insisted on sleeping beside the unit’s weapons store to guard it overnight.
“I will stay here and watch it,” he said, refusing to leave his post.
For many, the memory that endures is not only of the battle, but of the photograph that was never widely shared.
A simple image, taken moments before deployment, has come to symbolise loss—and presence.
“I wish I had taken a picture with him that day,” one comrade said. “Now, that last picture means everything.”
The “Hekayat Batal” series continues to document the human stories behind Egypt’s fight against terrorism.
In El-Welily’s case, it offers a portrait shaped by duty, foresight, and a final act of courage under fire.
