ARISH- After years in the dark, the sun finally shines over North Sinai and life is back to normal after successful efforts by the Egyptian military and police to eliminate terrorism.
The fight against terrorism went hand in hand with projects to achieve economic, industrial, agricultural and tourism development on the peninsula, said residents of North Sinai.
Eight years on, life on the peninsula turned from hell to heaven and from darkness to light, they told a delegation of representatives of Egyptian, Arab and foreign media outlets.
It sure was a battle and Egypt sure came out victorious, the residents said.
MENA correspondent was among the media delegation that visited a number of cities and villages to get first hand information about life in North Sinai and listen to the residents there.
Organized by the Armed Forces Morale Affairs Department, the tour included visits to areas in Arish, Rafah, Sheikh Zuwaid and Bir el Abd.
Off to the city of Arish, the delegation crossed the “Long Live Egypt” tunnel underneath the old and new Suez Canals in Ismailia. A city that has been given the kiss of life started to unfold through its markets, hospitals and schools.
North Sinai Governor Mohamed Abdel Fadil Shousha posted the delegation on measures taken to control market prices and secure basic needs of citizens.
The Arish General Hospital is now equipped with advanced devices, sparing citizens the trouble of traveling to Ismailia or Cairo for treatment, according to the media delegation.
The delegates also visited the “Martyr Mohamed Zamalout Language School” and attended the morning line of 859 students, who waved the V sign in a show of appreciation for the Armed Forces.
Water and electricity plants have been renovated to make citizens’ life easier. Also, social housing units in 109 buildings have been repaired at a total cost of 450 million pounds.
The delegation then visited Sheikh Zuwaid. Once a city of ghosts, Sheikh Zuwaid is now as vibrant as Arish, with life back to normal in all its villages. In fact it has become the source of many agricultural crops and is even serving residents of Arish and other villages and towns, the delegation noted.
North Sinai officials are seeking to turn the peninsula into a food basket through increasing the agricultural lot and achieving development.
The delegation then safely traveled to Rafah – a journey that had left hundreds dead along the once-booby trapped road that started from Arish.
Rafah, which includes 11 villages, is now safe, the delegates could tell. Head of the city Moustafa Mohamed Moustafa said that phase one of a new residential city has been implemented by the Armed Forces’ Engineering Authority and financed by the Housing Ministry. Phase one includes 656 residential units in 41 buildings, Moustafa told the delegation.
Rafah was the delegates’ last stop in North Sinai before they returned to Cairo, giving the thumbs up to successful efforts of the Egyptian military and police to eliminate terrorism on the peninsula.
