Kerry pledges support for Egypt in Cairo talks

AFP, CAIRO: US Secretary of State John Kerry launched a strategic dialogue with his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo on Sunday, pledging Washington’s support as the two countries patched up a diplomatic rift. Kerry was to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi later before travelling on to Qatar, where he will try to sell a nuclear deal with Iran to sceptical Gulf Arab allies. Egypt is a key US ally in the region, but ties between the two countries frayed after the army, then led by Sisi, ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. More than 1,000 of Morsi’s supporters were killed in a sweeping crackdown on protests, and militants have since killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen. Most of the attacks have been conducted by the Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State group, which a US-led coalition is battling in Iraq and Syria.

Kerry pledges support for Egypt in Cairo talks

AFP, CAIRO: US Secretary of State John Kerry launched a strategic dialogue with his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo on Sunday, pledging Washingtons support as the two countries patched up a diplomatic rift. Kerry was to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi later before travelling on to Qatar, where he will try to sell a nuclear deal with Iran to sceptical Gulf Arab allies. Egypt is a key US ally in the region, but ties between the two countries frayed after the army, then led by Sisi, ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. More than 1,000 of Morsis supporters were killed in a sweeping crackdown on protests, and militants have since killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen. Most of the attacks have been conducted by the Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State group, which a US-led coalition is battling in Iraq and Syria.