Sisi Honors Militia Fighter Accused of War Crimes in Sinai
CAIRO (Dispatches) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has honored the Sinai militia fighter Ibrahim Hammad as a “martyr” despite calls by rights groups to investigate war crimes allegations against him.
At an annual event remembering members of the armed forces killed in combat, Sisi named Ibrahim Hammad as a “martyr hero”, and gave a reward to his mother.
Hammad was killed on May 10, 2022 while participating in an Egyptian army operation against alleged “terrorists” in the Sheikh Zuweid area in North Sinai.
The Sinai Foundation for Human Rights (SFHR), a London-based group that advocates for accountability for rights abuses in Sinai, has strongly denounced Sisi’s comments.
“The SFHR and international organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have documented this individual’s involvement in cold-blooded field executions of unarmed civilians in Sinai in 2017,” the group said.
“This act represents a severe insult to the victims and their families and reinforces the policy of impunity.”