CAIRO — At the Nation’s Story Conference in Cairo Jan. 18 to lay out the achievements during his first presidential term, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that El-Arish International Airport in the northern Sinai Peninsula should resume operation — unthreatened. The airport had been closed since Dec. 19, when the Islamic State-affiliated Wilayat Sinai launched a missile from a farm targeting the jet of the ministers of defense and interior. The incident led to the death of one officer, while two others were wounded.

Sisi said that a safe zone of 5 kilometers (3 miles) deep will be built around the airport. More than 20 kilometers will be demolished if the area is square-shaped, which is equivalent to half of el-Arish city that stretches along 48 kilometers.

On Jan. 23, north Sinai Governor Maj. Gen. Al-Sayed Abdel Fattah Harhour announced that the police and army have appraised the value of citizens’ houses and farms that are 5 kilometers to the east, west and south of the airport and 1.5 kilometers to its north in order to arrange compensation, as the government is proceeding with its demolition plan. Harhour said a committee was formed to evaluate the home value and work is currently underway.

Sinai member of parliament Salama al-Raqii told Al-Monitor, “Sinai citizens are tools for the government in its war on terrorism, and they are the ones losing their loved ones, investments and money the most.”