12 Established 1961 Analysis Monday, November 27, 2017 Established 1961 The First Daily in The Arabian Gulf THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961 Founder and Publisher YOUSUF S. AL-ALYAN Editor-in-Chief ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-ALYAN EDITORIAL : 24833199-24833358-24833432 ADVERTISING : 24835616/7 FAX : 24835620/1 CIRCULATION : 24833199 Extn. 163 ACCOUNTS : 24835619 COMMERCIAL : 24835618 P.O.Box 1301 Safat,13014 Kuwait. E MAIL :[email protected] Website: www.kuwaittimes.net Egypt’s options dwindling in fight against militants The scale of the bloodshed was vastly higher than past militant attacks but the Egyptian government response the same: Three days of mourning, reassuring messages in the media that things are under control, and the president promising vengeance. The identical pattern in the aftermath of Friday’s attack on a mosque in Sinai, which killed 305 people, raises the question whether Egypt has any options left in the fight against Islamic militants. The military has thrown tanks, fighting vehicles, fighter-jets, warships and helicopter gunships along The inside story of Mugabe’s downfall with tens of thousands of security forces in three years of conflict with extremists, including an affiliate of the Islamic State group in the northern part of the Sinai Inside State House in Harare, Robert Mugabe was in the over his loyalty to Mnangagwa,” the report said. Reuters put Some were disguised as baggage handlers, their military Peninsula. tightest spot of his 37-year rule. Tanks were on the streets questions about this exchange and other aspectsof this arti- fatigues and weapons hidden beneath high-visibility jackets The area has been under emergency law for several and troops had occupied the state broadcaster, from where cle to Mugabe’s spokesman, George Charamba. In an enig- and overalls, one security source said. Realizing they were years and the entire country since April. Security the army had announced it had taken control of Zimbabwe. matic text message dated Nov 23, he replied: “Enjoy Reuters outnumbered and outgunned, Chihuri’s police team backed forces have forcibly evacuated areas adjacent to the Mugabe, 93 years old but still alert, remained defiant. The copy. Goodnight.” Two spokesmen for Chiwenga declined to down, allowing Chiwenga to touch down without incident, border with Gaza, razing residents’ houses and farm- only leader the country had known since independence was comment. After another tense meeting with Mugabe on Nov the security source said. Mugabe’s spokesman did not com- lands. They have blown up underground tunnels that refusing to quit. At a tense meeting with his military top 5, Chiwenga left Harare on a pre-arranged official trip and ment on the incident. authorities believe militants used to smuggle weapons brass on Nov 16, the world’s oldest head of state put his foot travelled to China, which wields significant influence as a and fighters in from neighboring Gaza, ruled by the down: “Bring me the constitution and tell me what it says,” he major investor in Zimbabwe. A day later, Mugabe sacked ‘Very alarmed’ Palestinian militant group Hamas. ordered military chief Constantino Chiwenga, according to Mnangagwa as vice president and purged him from ZANU- Two days later, Chiwenga and a group of military com- These measures have shown few tangible results. two sources present. PF, the liberation movement that Mnangagwa had served manders demanded a meeting with Mugabe at his official The firepower and troop deployments in Sinai have An aide brought a copy of the constitution, which lays out since his youth and for which, as a young militant caught State House residence in Harare, an ornate colonial villa com- kept militants from holding territory but have not pre- that the president is commander-in-chief of the armed bombing a train, he had nearly been executed. For the gener- plete with stuffed leopards and thick red carpets, according vented them from carrying out assassinations that ter- forces. Chiwenga, dressed in camouflage fatigues, hesitated als, Mugabe had gone too far. The military immediately acti- to a government source. They said they were “very alarmed” rorize the population and launching deadly attacks on before replying that Zimbabwe was facing a national crisis vated a “Code Red” alert, its highest level of preparedness, a at the firing of Mnangagwa and told Mugabe to rein in his military and police posts and convoys and recently a that demanded military intervention. Mugabe retorted that military source said. wife and her G40 faction, whom they accused of trying to daylight robbery in Sinai’s largest town. the army was the problem, according to the sources present. divide the military, according to the government official, who Then the beleaguered president indicated that perhaps they Assassination plot was present at the discussions. “What do you think should be ‘Brute Force’ could find a solution together. Moments after Mnangagwa was ousted on Nov 6, the done?” Mugabe demanded of the soldiers as he sat slumped In a televised address, a livid Abdel-Fattah Al-Sssi, The meeting marked the start of an extraordinary five- security details assigned to him and his house were with- in an armchair. The generals asked him to give assurances that Egypt’s general-turned-president, pledged the use of day standoff between Mugabe and Zimbabwe’s supreme law drawn, according to a statement he issued later. He was told they too would not be purged. Mugabe’s response was luke- “brute force” in response to Friday’s attack. “The on one side, and the military, his party and Zimbabwe’s peo- his life was in danger. “Security personnel, who are friendly warm, the government source said. Chiwenga told Mugabe armed forces and police will forcefully take revenge for ple on the other. The generals wanted Mugabe to go, but to me, warned me that plans were underfoot to eliminate me he would be making his concerns about the G40 faction pub- our martyred sons and restore security and stability in they also wanted a peaceful “coup”, one that would not once arrested and taken to a police station,” Mnangagwa lic. Hours later, Chiwenga summoned reporters to the mili- the short period ahead,” he vowed. There is little public irreparably tarnish the administration aiming to take over, said in a Nov 21 statement. “It was in my security interest to tary’s main barracks near Harare to issue a statement. “We discussion of how to conduct the war and northern according to multiple military and political sources. leave the country immediately.” must remind those behind the current treacherous shenani- Sinai area is closed off to journalists, making it difficult The president finally accepted defeat only after he was From Harare, he managed to escape over the border into gans that, when it comes to matters of protecting our revolu- to assess what’s going on. In the overwhelmingly pro- sacked by his own ZANU-PF party and faced the ignominy neighboring Mozambique, where he caught a plane to China, tion, the military will not hesitate to step in,” he said, reading government media, talk about the conflict is largely of impeachment. He signed a short letter of resignation to according to one source familiar with his movements. There from a prepared text. The following afternoon, Reuters focused on cheering the military and police, commem- parliament speaker Jacob Mudenda that was read out to he met up with Chiwenga, the source said. Reuters could not reported six armored personnel carriers heading towards the orating their “martyrs” and urging the public to rally lawmakers on Nov 21. Mugabe, who had run Zimbabwe confirm the account; but an intelligence report from Nov 13 headquarters of Mugabe’s Presidential Guard on the outskirts around Sisi. since 1980 and overseen its descent into economic ruin while indicates that Mugabe suspected some of his generals of of Harare. It was unclear whose command they were under. The closest authorities came to admitting shortcom- his wife shopped for luxury goods, was gone. The country preparing to overthrow him from China. “A number of gener- At the time, the city’s residents were on edge but still unsure ings was last month when Sisi removed the armed erupted into ecstasy. Parliamentarians danced and people als are now in China ready to plot Mugabe’s ouster with what it all meant. forces’ chief of staff and top police generals after a poured onto the streets in their tens of thousands to cele- Mnangagwa,” the report said. It was not clear which gener- planned attack on militants in the Western Desert went brate a political downfall that sent shockwaves across Africa als, and whether their travel to China was authorized. The line went dead disastrously wrong. The operation left over a dozen and the world. Mugabe’s spies suspected old allies had turned against At around 6 pm on Nov 14, Mugabe’s motorcade headed counterterrorism police officers dead and exposed To many, the end of Mugabe had been unthinkable only to his private “Blue Roof” residence, a heavily fortified com- poor coordination among security and intelligence one week before. Reuters has pieced together the events pound in the capital’s leafy northern suburb of Borrowdale. agencies. leading up to Mugabe’s removal, showing that the army’s Army had backed Meanwhile, social media buzzed with pictures of armored It also illustrated the problem posed by Egypt’s long action was the culmination of months of planning that vehicles driving along roads to Harare, sparking frenzied desert border with Libya - a country mired in chaos stretched from Harare to Johannesburg to Beijing. Mnangagwa for speculation about a coup. and rife with armed Islamic militant groups - through Increasingly concerned, Grace put in a call shortly after 7 which weapons and fighters can be smuggled.