Major General Samir Farag in an interview with “Zoom Africa News”: From the October epic to the Battle of Taba… Lessons of liberation and building the future

Interview by: Mohamed Ragab

Egypt today celebrates a happy anniversary: the liberation of its land. EgyptianThe October War, which embodied Egypt's greatest victories in the modern era, is not merely a fleeting memory, but a pivotal moment in the nation's history. This day is the culmination of a long struggle that began with the defeat of June 1967 and continued through the victory of October 1973 and subsequent negotiations, proving... Egypt Its strength is not limited to weapons, but extends to diplomacy and international legitimacy, until it achieves complete victory and regains every inch of its land.

In this context, the “Zoom Africa News” website conducted an interview with Major General Samir Farag, one of the heroes of the glorious October War, to tell the details of this epic and the subsequent diplomatic battle to recover the land that the occupation tried to seize, but Egypt stood firm against it until it achieved complete victory.

To begin with, how did Egypt begin its journey to reclaim its land from the June defeat until the recovery of Taba?

The first steps of this journey began after the defeat of June 1967, when Israel occupied the entire Sinai Peninsula. Since then, Egypt waged a war of attrition that lasted for about six years, during which it succeeded in reorganizing and rearming its armed forces, evacuating the Suez Canal cities, and building the missile defense system that provided protection for Egyptian forces.

On the tenth of Ramadan, the late President Mohamed Anwar Sadat made his historic decision to storm the Suez Canal and destroy the Bar Lev Line, enabling the armed forces to establish five bridgeheads on the eastern bank of the canal.

With the cessation of fighting on October 28, 1973, the difficult stage of negotiations began, during which the first and second disengagement agreements were signed, and then the peace negotiations began, which ended with the Camp David Accords, confirming Egypt’s diplomatic strength under the leadership of President Sadat.

Thus, thanks to the blood, effort, and determination of its sons, Egypt recovered its occupied land through war, peace, and negotiation, with the exception of Taba, from which Israel delayed its withdrawal, claiming that it was outside the Egyptian borders. However, Egypt did not stand still and was able to prove its ownership, and Taba was officially handed over on March 15, 1989, and the Egyptian flag was raised over it on March 19, 1989. That was a great moment in the history of Egypt, when the Egyptian flag was raised over the last inch of Sinai land.

Tell us about the Taba crisis and how it ended in Egypt's favor... and what lessons were learned from it?

The first announcement of the Taba problem was in March 1982, a month before the Israeli withdrawal from Sinai. Israel stalled a lot and tried to impose a fait accompli by building tourist facilities, but Egypt insisted on resorting to international arbitration in accordance with the peace agreement.

After years of arguments and evidence, the international arbitration panel issued its ruling in September 1988, affirming Egypt's sovereignty over all of its territory. In March 1989, the Egyptian flag was raised over the last inch of Sinai, a momentous historical event.

The most important lesson is that rights are never lost as long as there are those who demand them. Experience has also confirmed the necessity of defending rights in a way that others understand, relying on legal and diplomatic means alongside military force. Furthermore, it has highlighted the importance of experts and specialists, a thorough understanding of the adversary, and effective crisis management through teamwork.

What is your opinion of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's speech today on the occasion of the 44th anniversary of the liberation of Sinai?

President Sisi’s speech was extremely important because it laid out Egypt’s strategy for the coming period. The President stressed that peace is a strategic choice for Egypt, and that we do not want war, because war means the cessation of construction, investment and development, and that Egypt wants peace for the sake of development, and at the same time it has a strong and great army that protects this peace.

The president also spoke clearly about how resolving the Palestinian problem is the basis for security and stability in Gaza and the region.

He referred to the peace agreement reached in Sharm El-Sheikh, the first phase of which has been implemented, and stated that the goal now is to implement the second and third phases, including Israel's withdrawal and the commencement of reconstruction. The president also emphasized that the displacement of Palestinians is a red line, explaining that Egypt hosts approximately 10 million refugees and bears responsibility for them without exploiting them or receiving payment, unlike some other countries.

What was the situation that made you cry with joy during the October War and the liberation of Sinai?

It was a quarter to two o'clock, just before the zero hour, and before the start of the attack to cross the Bar Lev Line. At every strong point of this line there were pipes filled with napalm, designed to ignite the water and turn the crossing soldiers into balls of fire, but the frogmen went down into the water to block these pipes, and there were between three and four pipes at each point.

At one point, we discovered the number was greater than planned, and that was a real disaster. At that moment, one of the soldiers stepped forward and asked to block the pipe himself, knowing full well that he was going to his death, but he saw no other way to save his comrades and secure the crossing. This act moved me to tears, yet at the same time filled me with pride and joy, because it embodied the meaning of sacrifice for victory.

How would you describe the transformations that Sinai has witnessed throughout your years of service? And what are your most prominent memories of its liberation and its heroes?

My service in Sinai began after I graduated from the Military Academy in 1961. Back then, it was just desert and lifeless mountains. I used to take the train from Qantara in Ismailia to El Arish, and all I could see was the vast emptiness. But when I took command of a battalion in 1982, life gradually began to stir there, and today we are witnessing a great transformation: farms, cities, and a fully integrated community.

My memories of the liberation of Sinai are unforgettable. It unfolded in several stages, beginning with the October War of 1973, in which we reclaimed a portion of our land. The next stage was the political one, culminating in the 1979 peace agreement, whereby Israel gradually withdrew until it reached Taba. There, it refused to withdraw, claiming that Taba was not Egyptian territory. This led to a diplomatic, rather than a military, battle, and we resorted to international arbitration, which affirmed Egypt's sovereignty over all of Sinai. In 1989, the Egyptian flag was raised over the last inch of Sinai, making Egypt the only country in the region to have fully liberated its land.

This is a great honor for us, and the Egyptian soldier remains the most honorable and noble soldier in the world, ready to sacrifice his life for his country. I remember that our soldiers remained in a constant state of readiness for five whole months, carrying rifles and grenades, and their response was always: “They will only cross over our dead bodies.” This fighting spirit is what brought about victory and returned Sinai to the embrace of the homeland.