North Sinai governor denies Hamas control

North Sinai Governor, El-Sayed Abdel-Wahab Mabrouk, has affirmed that the Egyptian east border in Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah are completely safe and secured, saying that all the security forces are alert and vigilant towards any encroachment. The governor said in press statements on Tuesday that any infiltrator from the east boarder, especially from the Gaza Strip, will be seized.  Maboruk said that security forces had been deployed in Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid areas and have secured the entrances and exits of the governorate to detect any intruders through the tunnels. The action comes in response to claims made in an Egyptian newspaper that Sinai was under the control of Hamas and so-called "Palestinian Jihadist factions".  The governor added that what had been published was completely totally untrue, affirming that the tribesmen have a good, cooperative relationship with Egyptian security to safeguard the border. A source close to a high-level security official also said that what had been published is not true. The source added in statements to the Egyptian TV that there are continuous security campaigns in the two cities, and any infiltrators through the tunnels would be seized.  Military expert Talaat Abu Musallam told Arabstoday: “Sinai needs huge efforts to control security, which require wide deployment of the armed forces in cooperation with the police, and combing the area from time to time.”