Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have voiced their backing for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s desire to protect his country’s security and borders.
"The Kingdom stands by Egypt on its right to defend its borders and people from extremism, terrorist militias and their supporters in the region," said a Saudi foreign ministry statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Similarly, the UAE's foreign ministry said it "is siding with Egypt on all the measures it takes to protect security and stability from the repercussions of the concerning developments in Libya," according to the country's official WAM news agency.
Sisi on Saturday toured an air base near Egypt’s 1,200-kilometer-long western border with Libya, where state TV showed him watching fighter jets and helicopters taking off and checking hundreds of tanks and armored vehicles.
“Be prepared to carry out any mission, here inside our borders - or if necessary, outside our borders,” he told several air force pilots and special forces personnel at the base.
“Any direct Egyptian intervention in Libya will be aimed at reaching a ceasefire. Any direct Egyptian intervention is now legitimate,” he declared.
