Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has declared national mourning over the death of former defense minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawy.
Tantawy, who died on Tuesday morning, had led Egypt during the hardest of times and was a real reason behind the protection of this country, said Sisi during the inauguration of some development projects on the Sinai Peninsula today.
Egypt has lost one of its loyal sons, Sisi said, reminding of Tantawy’s wise leadership at a time the Egyptian state was at risk of collapse and civil war. It was Tantawy who had led Egypt through this phase with minimal damage, the president noted.
He added that the former defense minister is innocent of any bloodshed that had occurred in Egypt during that period, citing incidents in downtown Cairo and Port Said.
All state officials, who had run the country during that time, are innocent, Sisi stressed.
The president offered condolences to the Egyptian people and the family of Tantawy.
Sisi said that late field marshal Tantawy had always feared that one faction would rule Egypt.
This hurt him a lot, the president said, adding that the former defense minister was well aware of the damage that would be inflicted on Egypt as a result of such rule.
Tantawy feared he would be remembered as the man who handed over the country to that faction, Sisi added.
President Sisi on Tuesday declared a state of national mourning over the death of former defense minister Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi, naming the Hikestep Military Base after him.
Addressing a ceremony marking the inauguration of a number of development projects in Sinai, Sisi said Tantawi led Egypt with wisdom, honesty and strong dedication at tough times during the military council’s rule of Egypt in 2011. He also handed over the rule after elections that were held in 2012 when the state was on the brink of collapse.
He has greatly contributed to overcoming such tough phase with the least possible harm.
