Sedki Sobhy

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Sedki Sobhy Sayyid Ahmad (Arabic: صدقى صبحى سيد أحمد  pronounced [ˈsˤedʔi ˈsˤobħi ˈsæj.jed ˈæħmæd]) (born 12 December 1955) is an Egyptian politician and former General who was Minister of Defence of Egypt from 2014 until 2018. Sobhy previously served as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces from August 2012 to March 2014. He was sworn in as Minister of Defence in March 2014 after Abdul Fattah al-Sisi resigned so he could stand for the presidency.[3] He also commanded the Third Army for a time.[4]

Sedki Sobhy
صدقى صبحى سيد أحمد
45th Minister of Defence[1]
In office
26 March 2014 – 14 June 2018
PresidentAdly Mansour (Interim)
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Prime MinisterIbrahim Mahlab
Sherif Ismail[2]
Preceded byAbdel Fattah el-Sisi
Succeeded byMohamed Ahmed Zaki
Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces
In office
26 March 2014[1] – 14 June 2018
PresidentAdly Mansour (Acting)
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Prime MinisterIbrahim Mahlab
Sherif Ismail
Mostafa Madbouly
Preceded byAbdel Fattah el-Sisi
Succeeded byMohamed Ahmed Zaki
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces
In office
12 August 2012 – 26 March 2014
PresidentMohamed Morsi
Adly Mansour (Acting)
CommanderAbdel Fattah el-Sisi
Preceded bySami Hafez Anan
Succeeded byMahmoud Hegazy
Personal details
Born (1955-12-12) 12 December 1955 (age 68)
Menouf, Republic of Egypt
Political partyIndependent
Military service
Allegiance Egypt
Branch/service Egyptian Army
Years of service1976–2018
Rank General
Battles/warsGulf War
Sinai Insurgency
2015 Egyptian military intervention in Libya
Intervention in Yemen

Military education

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Main commands

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  • Mechanized Infantry Battalion, Commander.[5]
  • Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Chief of staff.[5]
  • Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Commander.[5]
  • Mechanized Infantry Division, Chief of Staff.[5]
  • Mechanized Infantry Division, commander.[5]
  • Third Army, Chief, Operations branch.[5]
  • Third Army, Chief of Staff.[5]
  • Third Army, Commander.[5]

Connections with the United States

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In 2004–2005 Sedki Sobhy studied for a Master's Degree in Strategic Studies at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.[6] While there he wrote a paper recommending that the United States withdraw its military from the Middle East and concentrate instead on socio-economic aid for the region. The paper was posted on a US Department of Defense website, where it was noticed by analyst Issandr El Amrani.[7]

After the 2013 Egyptian coup, Sedki Sobhy spoke by telephone on 4 July 2013 with Martin Dempsey, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,[8] and had spoken twice with him by 8 July.[9]

Medals and decorations

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  • 25 April Decoration (Liberation of Sinai)[5]
  • Distinguished Service Decoration[5]
  • Military Duty Decoration, Second Class[5]
  • Military Duty Decoration, First Class[5]
  • Longevity and Exemplary Medal[5]
  • Liberation of Kuwait Medal[5]
  • Silver Jubilee of October War Medal[5]
  • Golden Jubilee of the 23rd of July Revolution[5]
  • Silver Jubilee of the Liberation of Sinai Medal[5]
  • 25 January Revolution Medal[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "BREAKING l Sedki Sobhy promoted to general army chief". Aswat Masriya. 26 March 2014. Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  2. ^ "Egypt's Sherif Ismail cabinet with 16 new faces sworn in by President Sisi". Ahram Online. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Sedki Sobhi sworn in as Egypt's new military chief". BBC. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  4. ^ "صدقي صبحي سيد". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "Profile: Sedki Sobhi". Egyptian Ministry of Defense.
  6. ^ Mathieu Rabechault, Close US-Egypt military ties forged on American soil[dead link], AFP, 9 July 2013.
  7. ^ Academic paper by Egypt's new second-in-command offers insight into thinking, Ahram Online, 15 August 2012.
  8. ^ Josh Lederman, US touts democracy as Egyptian military takes over, South Florida Times, 8 July 2013.
  9. ^ Elise Labott, U.S. avoids calling Egypt's uprising a coup, CNN, 8 July 2013.
Military offices
Preceded by Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of Egypt
2014–present
Incumbent
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces
2014–present
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Defence
2014–2018
Succeeded by