Hani al-Gamal-Cairo
Tens of thousands of Egyptians converged on major squares in many of Egypt’s provinces on 2 October to mark the October War victory anniversary and express support for their country’s political leadership.
Egypt marks the October War victory anniversary on 6 October every year. The occasion commemorates the liberation by the Egyptian army of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula from Israeli occupation in 1973.
Israel occupied Sinai as well as the Syrian Golan Heights in June 1967, in what is known as the Six-Day War. The conflict led to a humiliating defeat for the Egyptian and Syrian armies.
The liberation of Sinai by the Egyptian army in 1973 went down in history as a seminal event which Egyptian troops made huge sacrifices to achieve.
These sacrifices were present in the minds of the tens of thousands of people who took to the streets and squares in Egypt’s various provinces to commemorate the victory.
Those present carried the flags of Egypt as well as photos of incumbent Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Egyptian political parties also participated in the celebration by playing patriotic songs and inviting celebrities to perform.
A coordination office of the main political parties said the huge turnout during the celebrations reflected the strong awareness among ordinary people of the October War victory’s importance. “This awareness shows how ordinary Egyptians understand the importance of defending the sovereignty of their country”, the office said.
