Egypt’s leader juggles insurgency, economy
CAIRO — The deadly bombings of two churches have left Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi grappling with the question of how to defeat a tenacious Islamic State insurgency that three years of warfare have failed to crush.
He’s also trying to repair a broken economy, carrying out tough austerity measures that have won praise from economists but have sent prices soaring.
El-Sissi must juggle these tasks while fending off criticism of human rights violations and growing authoritarianism — all with an eye to presidential elections due in 14 months.
One thing he has going for him — he hopes — is strong support from U.S. President Donald Trump.