This was announced by the US embassy in Cairo on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.
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“The F-16s provide a valuable capability that is needed during these times of regional instability”, the statement quoted senior embassy defence official Major General Charles Hooper as saying.
The United States will deliver eight F-16 Block 52 aircraft to Egypt within the next two days, the US embassy in Cairo said in a statement, part of a military package that had been unfrozen earlier this year. America’s commitment to a strong relationship with Egypt is demonstrated by continued cooperation and capability sharing between our two countries.
Following the overthrow of then Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in 2013, relations between Washington and Cairo became strained, with the United States limiting its support to the Egyptian government and suspending the previously-agreed delivery of 10 Apache helicopters to Cairo.
The US is committed to “upgrading Egypt’s security and military strength” this year through its .3 billion aid, the embassy said, citing “Egypt’s intense efforts to confront terrorism”. The group changed its name to Sinai Province last November, after pledging allegiance to Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq.
“In this way, we will ensure that U.S. funding is being used to promote shared objectives in the region, including a secure and stable Egypt and the defeat of terrorist organizations”, National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said in a statement, via Reuters.
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No details have been made available on Sunday’s talks, which will be co-chaired by Kerry and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
