East Military Canal Zone (Egypt)
The Unified Command of the Area East of the Canal is an Egyptian military formation that was created to combat the terrorism and insurgency in the Sinai. It is one of the five major military regions of the Egyptian Army. It groups the Second Field Army and the Third Field Army. A presidential Decree from Abdel Fattah al-Sisi appointed the command's first commander, Lieutenant General Osama Askar. The command was created to improve cooperation and unity of command and coordination between the Second and Third field armies. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi chaired a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces in January 2015, during which he issued two declarations. The first changed the force structure of the army by creating a "unified command" to oversee counterterrorism operations east of the Suez Canal. The second promoted Osama Askar, commander of the Third Field Army, both in rank and in title: he is now a lieutenant general—one of a handful in the armed forces—and in charge of the "unified command." He will also retain his seat on the SCAF. Askar's former deputy, Muhammad Abdullah, has been appointed commander, and Tarek Anwar Helal the chief of staff, of the Third Field