Roundup: Egypt holds military funeral for former president Mubarak

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, February 26, 2020
Adjust font size:

CAIRO, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Egypt held a military funeral on Wednesday for the country's former president Hosni Mubarak who died on Tuesday at the age of 91.

The body of the former president was airlifted to a mosque complex in an eastern New Cairo neighborhood, where the funeral service took place.

Mubarak died in hospital after undergoing treatment in an intensive care unit.

Mubarak had served as Egyptian president for nearly 30 years until he resigned as a result of mass protests that erupted in the country in 2011.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and other Egyptian and Arab dignitaries attended the funeral, which will be followed later in the day by burial at the cemetery in Heliopolis.

Mubarak's sons were in the helicopter that carried the body to the funeral service site.

Wrapped in the Egyptian flag, Egyptian honor guards carried the coffin in the ceremony.

On Tuesday, the presidency extended condolences to the former president's family for his services to the homeland as "a hero of October 1973 war." It announced three days of nationwide mourning.

Born in 1928 in Munofiya province in the Nile River Delta, Mubarak graduated from the Air Force Academy and worked as its director for three years.

He was appointed as Air Force Commander in 1972. Later, he was awarded by the late president for his accomplishments during the Arab-Israeli war.

In 1975, Mubarak was appointed as vice-president.

Dozens of Mubarak supporters gathered outside the mosque where the funeral took place. Some gathered in cafes to watch the funeral on big screens.

"Holding a military funeral restored Mubarak dignity after his image was distorted for years," said Adel Mahmoud, 65-year-old, who was standing outside a cafe in Maadi district south of Cairo.

Mubarak is a hero of war who spent 30 years in serving the country, and his farewell should be honored, the man told Xinhua.

However, Karim al-Sayed, an 18-year-old student, said Egypt encountered economic problems and high rate of poverty during Mubarak's rule, which caused the difficulties the country faces now.

He added that "it's not easy for the young people to also forget the innocent Egyptians who were shot dead during the 2011 protests."

In 2012, Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison for complicity in the murder of some of the demonstrators who took part in the wave of protests.

He was freed in 2017 after being acquitted of most charges. Enditem

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
ChinaNews App Download
Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Enter the words you see:   
    Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter