Egypt’s Sissi to remain defense minister, for now

Egypt’s powerful army chief, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will keep his post as defense minister in a new government, an official source told Reuters on Wednesday, ending speculation — for now — that he will run for president.

Sissi is tipped to win the upcoming presidential election, but has yet to announce his candidacy. He must vacate the post of defense minister in order to run. The source said he would likely keep that job until an election law is finalized.

"He is expected to continue in his post until all the issues regarding the election laws are resolved," the source said. Those issues were not clear.

Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi's government resigned on Monday in a surprise move that has not been clearly explained. Many of Beblawi's ministers were reappointed Wednesday by Prime Minister–designate Ibrahim Mahlab, the outgoing housing minister who was asked on Tuesday to form a new cabinet.

They included Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim, a leading figure in state efforts to fight militant attacks that have soared since the army deposed Islamist President Mohamed Morsi last July following mass protests against his rule.

Ibrahim survived an assassination attempt last September.

Sissi, 59, is widely seen as the most powerful figure in the army-backed administration installed after Morsi's removal.

He enjoys strong support among Egyptians, many of whom were glad to see the overthrow of Morsi, who was the country’s first democratically elected president since the fall of strongman Hosni Mubarak in 2011. But to Morsi's supporters, Sisi was the mastermind of a coup that led to a bloody state crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood, where Morsi drew his support.

During the crackdown, hundreds of Egyptians were killed and thousands jailed. The interim government has labeled the Muslim Brotherhood a “terrorist” group. It says the Brotherhood orchestrated attacks throughout the country, including bombings. The Brotherhood denies the allegations.

Mahlab on Tuesday said that fighting militant attacks would be a priority for his government. Shootings and bombings, mostly targeting the security forces, have become commonplace since Morsi's removal. Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, an Al-Qaeda-inspired group, has claimed responsibility for most of those attacks.

Highlighting Mahlab's seriousness, an Egyptian court on Wednesday sentenced 26 people to death for plotting attacks on ships passing through the Suez Canal — a vital artery of world shipping. The defendants were tried in absentia.

Al Jazeera and Reuters