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| FILE PHOTO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi speaks during a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (not pictured) at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, October 30, 2018. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke |
Egypt has appointed Major General Khaled Megawer to serve as the head of the countryโs military intelligence service, replacing Mohamed al-Shahat, two security sources told Reuters on Sunday.
Egyptโs military and intelligence services play a leading role in top level decision making, taking a more public role since current president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led the 2013 military overthrow of Egyptโs first freely-elected president, Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The sources did not give a reason for al-Shahatโs dismissal, but Sisi has replaced several high-ranking security officials in the military, interior ministry and the general intelligence service over the last couple of years.
Sisi appointed close ally Major General Abbas Kamel to serve as chief of the countryโs General Intelligence Service in June, two weeks after replacing the defence and interior ministers.
Megawer previously served as deputy head of the military intelligence body, Commander of the Second Field Army and Defense Attachรฉ at the Egyptian embassy in Washington.
