The Salafi Al-Nour Party have expressed fears that the calls to protest on Friday made by both interim Minister of Defence General Abdul Fatah Al-Sisi and the National Coalition to Support Legitimacy (NCSL) could lead to civil war. Al-Nour also called for a reconciliation meeting to be held.
Al-Nour said it “rejects the idea of mobilisation and counter mobilisation and warns of the outbreak of civil war when we follow that approach.” The party published the statement on Wednesday evening following both announcements from Al-Sisi and NCSL.
The Salafi party called for a national reconciliation meeting “under the auspices of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar to defuse the crisis and avoid violence and bloodshed of Egyptians.” Leaders of the group met with representatives of the 30 June front on Tuesday to discuss the role of Al-Azhar in such talks, which was supported by Egypt’s highest Islamic authority.
The party’s statement also condemned “all forms of abuse and intimidation of citizens, the army or the police and warns any party that shedding blood is forbidden,” adding that there are “severe consequences in this world and the hereafter.” The statement also pointed out that everybody is judged by God and those who give orders are also guilty of spilling blood.
Al-Nour said the state is responsible for protecting its citizens “from any attack, and that includes crimes of bullying, intimidation and terrorising citizens, regardless of the motives.”
The party stressed “the need to adhere to the armed forces role in the protection of Egyptian blood against its enemies and prevent the [blood] shed in the conflict between its sons.”
Al-Nour has remained largely neutral since the armed forces removed Mohamed Morsi as president. The party has repeatedly called for national reconciliation and suggested the formation of a commission to do so.
