Clashes between the residents of the Nile island of Al-Warraq and the Egyptian police have renewed over the past two days, against the backdrop of the siege imposed by the security services for years, through which they prevent the entry of building materials to the island, which the residents consider to be part of attempts to “displace” them in order to establish an investment real estate project.
The police, who had imposed a blockade on the ferries that transport citizens to and from the island, arrested two islanders, which caused a stone-throwing incident between the residents and the security forces near the Qalali ferry crossing, before the authorities returned and released the detainees.
Security forces detained a 63-year-old man after a verbal altercation over his protest against the continued restriction of access to a ferry by security forces using iron barriers.
Security forces detained a 63-year-old man after a verbal altercation stemming from his protest against the continued crackdown by security forces.
This caused a number of locals to gather and refuse to leave until he was released, which escalated into an exchange of stone-throwing before the situation ended with his release.
A day earlier, similar protests took place after a young man was detained and beaten by security forces in the same area, before the locals tried to release him. This was met by a number of security forces there throwing stones to disperse the locals, before the matter escalated to a similar response from the locals.
Security forces had previously detected an attempt to unload quantities of bricks from a private car into a small transport tricycle, so they tried to stop it and arrest a number of young men who were helping in the operation.
The island crisis dates back to the summer of 2017, when security forces suddenly surrounded the area and began evacuating and demolishing homes, which led to violent clashes that resulted in the death of one resident by live ammunition, and the injury of a number of residents and security personnel.
The Ministry of Housing announced that it had acquired approximately 993 acres out of 1,295 acres of the island's land, which is equivalent to more than 76% of its total area designated for development.
In late July 2023, the State Information Service published photos of a project it called “Horus City,” which is the new name given to the island.
According to the authority, the project aims to transform the island into a global investment and commercial zone, noting that its area is 1,516 acres, and that the project’s implementation cost amounts to 17.5 billion Egyptian pounds.
In 2013, RSP Real Estate Engineering, based in the UAE, unveiled an investment plan for the development of Al Warraq Island.
She explained that the total expected revenues from the project amount to approximately 122.54 billion pounds, with an average of 20.4 billion pounds annually over 25 years.
According to the authority, the project will include eight investment zones, a commercial zone, a premium housing zone, a central park, green areas, a tourist riverfront, a cultural zone, a tourist promenade, and investment residential complexes.
In 2013, the UAE-based real estate engineering firm RSP revealed an investment plan for the development of Warraq Island, which it considered a model for future development in Cairo thanks to its prime location on the Nile River. The plan aims to transform the island into a financial services center similar to Manhattan Island in New York, after evacuating its residents.
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