Egypt is the country of ‘safety’ and ‘security’. These two terms that usually describe our country have not come from nowhere. The courageous armed forces and police have sacrificed their lives for millennia for the sake of safety and national security.
On March 8 every year, we salute those Martyrs who laid down their lives for the the nation. It is the day of dignity and honour when we cherish the heroic tales of the brave troops who lost their lives in the liberation the country’s occupied land, transforming the 1967 defeat into the 1973 victory.
Martyr Day is celebrates the achievements of Chief of Staff Abdel-Moneim Riad who was killed in 1969 alongside several comrades-in-arms in an Israeli mortar attack during the War of Attrition. He was a veteran of the Palestine War in 1948 and the Tripartite Aggression in 1956.
Egyptian soldiers and policemen are still making their mark on the people’s consciousness. They still sacrifice themselves in the fight against terrorism and the evil forces who attempt to thwart progress and development.
Celebrating Martyr Day is the least reward we can give the fallen of this nation. This day is an important occasion to appreciate the true meaning of giving and sacrificing to defend and protect our homeland. Their stories, which have told over thousands of years, are a treasure trove loyalty and humanity.
Egypt has always been a grave for invaders and the protector for the whole region. Throughout history, many died for Egypt in defence of the country against the Hyksos, the Mongols and the Tatars. Others lost their lives in the resistance of the French Campaign and the British occupation of Egypt, restoring and strengthening the unity of the state when it was weakened by invasions, and finally, achieving safety, security and stability.
The armed forces were at the forefront in the Palestine War of the 1948 Palestine War. Tales of heroism of Egyptian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Tripartite Aggression on Port Said, the War of Attrition that followed the 1967 defeat, and the 1973 October War when Egypt regained its dignity and damaged the myth of Israel’s “invincible army”.
The Egyptian armed forces are keen to perpetuate the memories of martyrs every year, even though they left behind widows, grieving parents and siblings, and broken-hearted sons and daughters.
Soldiers and police who gave their lives in the defence and protection of their homeland strengthen the will and determination of their comrades to continue their mission. We salute Egyptian martyrs who lost their lives for the sake of their nation across the ages. We also offer our salute to the Egyptian armed forces. Were it not for them, we would not enjoy peace and stability today.
God protect Egypt and its army.
Mohamed Fahmy is the editor-in-chief of The Egyptian Gazette and the Egyptian Mail newspapers
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