Politics
08:28, 07-Sep-2017
Egypt, US joint military exercises to resume September 10
["africa","north america"]
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The US and Egypt are set to resume military exercises this month, for the first time since 2009.
US officials previously canceled them in 2013 following an Egyptian army crackdown on protests.
The joint training is usually held every two years, but was also canceled in 2011, after the Arab Spring uprising that year, which resulted in the removal of Egypt's long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak.
September 15 , 2005: An Egyptian Military Police member directs a US tank during the "Bright Star" joint military exercises that involves 30,000 troops from 12 countries on the coast of Egypt's northern El-Alamein region. /AFP Photo
September 15 , 2005: An Egyptian Military Police member directs a US tank during the "Bright Star" joint military exercises that involves 30,000 troops from 12 countries on the coast of Egypt's northern El-Alamein region. /AFP Photo
The announcement on the "Bright Star" exercises came weeks after US President Donald Trump's administration denied Egypt 95.7 million US dollars in aid and 195 million due to its failure to make progress on democratic reforms.
According to the Egyptian military, the exercises will take place from September 10-20, at the new Mohamed Najuib military base in west Alexandria.
Egypt is considered as one of Washington’s closest Arab allies, though that relationship took a hit under former President Barack Obama, who briefly froze aid to Egypt after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew his Islamist freely elected predecessor in 2013 after mass protests against him.
According to Reuters news agency, the US provides 1.3 billion US dollars in military aid and about 250 million US dollars in economic aid to Egypt each year.