Egypt: Former army officer led terrorists in West Desert attack

Egyptian soldiers and officers who battled terrorists in the Western Desert confirmed that the masked dead militant leader was Imad al-Din Sayyid Ahmed Abdul Hamid, 36, a former military commando in the Egyptian army.

The terrorist leader was dismissed from the army after he had adopted extremist ideology and served as an assistant to Hasham al-Ashmawi, leader of the al-Murabetin organization in Libya.

Maher Farghali, a researcher and expert on terrorist and extremist groups told Al-Arabiya that security information confirmed the killing of former officer Imad Abdul Hamid in the last attack by the army's forces on their hideouts in Kilo 175, in the oasis west of Fayoum governerate.

During the confrontations, he was referred to by two names; Mustafa and Ramzi. He served as an assistant to Hasham al-Ashmawi, a former officer in the Egyptian army.

He was responsible for the military training of the members of "Ansar al-Bayt" group (ISIS in Sinai) before he had a disagreement with al-Ashmawi regarding Baghdadi’s leadership and left Sinai heading to Libya.

The researcher confirmed that al-Ashmawi assigned Imad to move to the Western Desert and to establish it as a receiving station for terrorist groups coming from Libya, specifically al-Murabetin group, to carry out terrorist operations in Egypt.

The security forces were able to pre-empt the groups in the oasis area before they were capable of launching their planned attacks.

The Egyptian army is fighting a battle against four main terrorist organizations as per statements by expert Ahmed Ban to Al Arabiya.

ISIS in Sinai

Ban said that ISIS group in Sinai are around 1000 militants centered in 27 kilometers within the cities of Sheikh Zuwaid, Rafah and Al-Areesh. They were first called "Ansar bait Al Maqdis" and after pledging allegiance to Baghdadi changed its name to "ISIS in Sinai State."

He added that the organization targets the army and police forces its operations and align with the Muslim Brotherhood and foreign insurgents. Their logistical and financial support was provided through the tunnels connected to the Gaza Strip.

After the army took control of these areas by placing several security bases, flooding and destroying these tunnels, it blocked the smuggling of arms, ammunition and money.

ISIS organization launched following these security measures, attacks on the main military checkpoint in Karm Al-Qawdis which was hindering their supplies.

Caliphate’s Army

The second group is Caliphate’s Army (Jund al-Khalafah) an organization linked to ISIS, funded by members of the Muslim Brotherhood group and led by Amr Saad Abbas, the first suspect in the bombings of the Tanta and Alexandria churches.

Ahmed Ban says that members of this terrorist organization disappear in the desert of Upper Egypt, and do not exceed 60-70 militants, they hide for a long time to escape security pursuits after one or two operations.

Hasm

The third terrorist organization Hasm, which is administratively and financially associated with the Muslim Brotherhood, under the leadership of Muhammad Kamal.

They are operative in the governorates, not Sinai, and launch attacks and ambushes in Cairo and Giza cities in order to affirm their presence and confuse the security services.

Al-Murabetin

The fourth terrorists group was led by Hisham al-Ashmawi who split from ISIS and formed his group in Libya, and its militants carry out operations inside Egypt's major cities.

Al-Ashmawi was accused of involvement in the assassination attempt on former Interior Minister General Mohamed Ibrahim, the assassination of the late Attorney General Hisham Barakat, and the attack on Battalion 101.

He was sentenced to death in absentia along with 13 other terrorists by the West Cairo Military Criminal Court for participating in the massacre of the Farafra in Al-Wadi Al-Gadid.