Iran Press/Africa: Egypt has had a state of emergency in effect since April 2017, after the second of two terrorist attacks by Daesh killed dozens of Coptic Christians.
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said that "thanks to the efforts of its great people and loyal citizens," Cairo is now able to lower its state of emergency.
Egyptian President added that Egypt has become "an oasis of security and stability in the region" thanks to the "sincere participation in all development and construction efforts."
The state of emergency was first imposed on April 10, 2017, in the aftermath of suicide bombings against two Coptic Christian churches on Palm Sunday that together killed 47 people and injured another 126.
Months later, Egypt carried out several airstrikes against Daesh positions in neighboring Libya, which is locked in a civil war that has been exploited by terrorist groups. However, attacks against Coptic churches continued. The Christian minority constitutes nearly 10% of Egypt's population.
Sisi came to power in July 2013 at the head of a military coup d'etat that overthrew Egypt's first democratically-elected president Mohamed Morsi. Then the country's defense minister and head of the armed forces, Sisi established a military government.
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