Egypt puts Sinai's Al-Arish port under military control

Egypt has transferred the assets of the Al-Arish port in the Sinai Peninsula from a civilian-run agency to the armed forces, citing national security reasons in an area where militant attacks have increased in the past year.

The decision was made last week by then-interim President Adly Mansour but only announced on Monday, a day after former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi - who ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi last July - was sworn in as the new head of state.

The move seemed likely to reinforce critics' concern that Egypt is returning to strongman rule three years after a popular uprising raised hopes of democracy free from military influence.
An addendum to Thursday's official gazette declared that the state's assets in the Al-Arish port and its administration were transferred to the ministry of defense and war production from the Port Authority of Port Said.

"Egypt's national security requires that the port be under the control of the armed forces due to its sensitive location," the head of the Port Authority of Port Said, retired major general Ahmed Sharaf, told Reuters by telephone.