Sisi lauds sacrifices of martyrs, families

As Egypt marks Martyr's Day today, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has not only praised sacrifices of the martyrs but also their families, whom he could not compensate for their loss.

"I wish I could do anything for the family of each martyr," Sisi said in a speech during an educational symposium organized by the Armed Forces Sunday.

Those martyrs have paid their lives for all citizens to live in peace and to protect the nation and maintain its stability, the president said.

The military establishment has never asked for raises despite precious sacrifices they make for the sake of Egypt, Sisi told the gathering.

This day is not meant to revive griefs, but to honor loyal sons of Egypt, Sisi said.

The Egyptian people have once again proven to the world that their will is stronger than their enemies thought, the president said.

He touched upon a strong bond between Egyptians and their State.

The Egyptian military and police carried out Operation Sinai 2018 and was able to crack down on and kill many terrorists, Sisi further said.

The fight against terrorists in Sinai has been going on for six years, the president noted.

Many weapons, hideouts and ammunition have been destroyed since then, said a proud Sisi.

Sisi, while acknowledging the difficulty of irregular wars, said Egyptian police and military were not scared.

They made best use of their combat skills, knowing that each battle could very well result in casualties, he went on to say.

The president also stressed that negligence won't be tolerated -- he was particularly referring to individual mistakes that left dozens of citizens dead as a result of the Cairo train crash on February 27.

"We have to be honest to ourselves and admit that the risk of negligence is not less than that of terrorism," Sisi said.