Assad security chief visits Cairo, meets President Sisi

In another sign that relations between Cairo and Damascus is warming, Syrian security chief visited Egypt recently and met with President Sisi, reported a Lebanese newspaper.

Analysis

2 min read

The New Arab

13 September, 2015

Mamlouk has been linked to a Lebanon bombing plot with former Minister Michel Samaha [AFP]

The head of Syria's National Security Bureau Ali Mamlouk visited Cairo last month, Al-Akhbar, a Lebanese daily newspaper close to Hizballah and the Syrian regime reported. 4

The newspaper said Mamlouk met with President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and other senior military, intelligence and security officials in Egypt.

Al-Akhbar, citing unnamed sources, said the two countries discussed ways to improve security coordination to confront "terrorism" and find a political solution to the conflict in Syria.

The sources said that Mamlouk called for a larger role for Cairo in the Syrian conflict.

The two countries also reporetedly agreed on reactivating bilateral ties and restoring ambassadors.

Egypt's deposed Muslim Brotherhood-allied president Mohammed Mursi, who was a staunch supporter of the Syrian opposition, had cut diplomatic ties with Damascus in June 2013.

Al-Akhbar claimed Mamlouk also recently visited Oman to seek mediation to solve the Syrian conflict.

Oman previously hosted secret talks between the United States and Iran, and is currently hosting talks on the Yemen conflict.

In August, Al-Akhbar reported that Mamlouk visited Saudi Arabia, where he reportedly met with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, to discuss possible solutions to end the conflict.

Saudi Arabia neither confirmed nor denied the unusual visit, but it is widely believed to have taken place.