Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi appointed a brand new director of Egypt’s predominant intelligence equipment, the Basic Intelligence Service (GIS), on Wednesday, changing the longtime chief who has been an in depth confidant of the president.
The brand new intelligence chief, Maj. Gen. Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, takes the place of Maj. Gen. Abbas Kamel, who has served within the function since 2018. Rashad beforehand served as a deputy to Kamel. Kamel was individually appointed on Wednesday as an advisor to and particular envoy of Sisi, in addition to the overall coordinator of safety companies.
Reuters, citing safety sources, reported on Wednesday that Kamel had not too long ago delegated a few of his duties to different officers because of well being points.
Rashad was sworn in on Wednesday. The GIS is a robust and ubiquitous state company in Egypt that’s accountable for each home and international intelligence, and its chief experiences on to Egypt’s president.
Although particulars about Rashad stay scant, his tenure will probably differ from that of Kamel’s. Along with serving as Kamel’s deputy, Rashad is a longtime GIS officer. Kamel, not like Rashad, was not a GIS insider when he was appointed director, however was a navy chief and later chief of employees to Sisi.
The intelligence company and former director Kamel have led Egypt in its function within the Gaza cease-fire talks. Kamel has met with CIA chief Invoice Burns, Mossad chief David Barnea, Hamas’ delegation and others in Cairo and Doha over the previous few months. As the brand new GIS chief, Rashad will probably assume Kamel’s function within the negotiations.
Sisi’s alternative of the GIS director comes just a few months after a main cupboard reshuffle in July, altering the make-up of a minimum of 20 ministries amid worsening financial and political crises.
