Photo taken on March 24, 2018 shows a poster supporting Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's 2018 presidential election will be held from March 26 to 28. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Terrorist threats in Egypt are not expected to affect the country's presidential elections slated for March 26-28, in which incumbent President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is expected to make an easy win for a second four-year term due to the lack of strong challengers.

As the countdown is ticking for the presidential polls, a car bomb attack on Saturday targeted a convoy of the security chief of the country's northern coastal province of Alexandria, killing two policemen and wounding at least four others.

TERROR INEFFECTIVE

Egypt has been suffering a wave of terrorist attacks that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military ousted former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

The Sinai-based branch of the Islamic State (IS) regional terrorist group claimed responsibility for most of the terror operations in Egypt over the past few years.

Saturday's terrorist attack in Alexandria was meant to intimidate citizens from taking part in the election rather than to target the security chief himself, yet such terrorist attempts to affect the polls would be fruitless, said Saeed al-Lawindi, a researcher at Cairo-based state-run Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies.

"Terrorists do not want the success of the polling process, and so it's a real challenge for Egyptians," Lawindi told Xinhua.

The pre-election terror attack came amid a massive anti-terrorist campaign, "Sinai 2018" comprehensive operation, which was launched in early February and have killed 157 terrorist and 22 soldiers.

Terror operations in Egypt had been centered in restive North Sinai province bordering Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip before they later expanded to reach other provinces including the capital Cairo and started to target the Coptic minority via church bombings and shootings.

The terrorists did not stop at targeting security men and Copts, as they further targeted a mosque in North Sinai's Arish city last November, killing at least 310 Muslim worshippers and injuring more than 120 others, which marks the deadliest terror attack and the first against a mosque in Egypt's modern history.

"I don't think terrorism will affect the elections. On the contrary, I think it will give an opposite message, as terror attacks and explosions will only strengthen the people's determination to go out and vote," said Gamal Salama, dean of the political science department of Suez University.

"Egyptians are resolute people and terror attacks will increase their will to take part in the vote, as they realize that the danger of terrorism is not over," the professor told Xinhua.

The Egyptian forces killed hundreds of terrorists and arrested thousands of suspects during the country's anti-terror war declared by President Sisi, the army chief then, following Morsi's ouster.

EASY WIN EXPECTED FOR SISI

Sisi came to office in mid-2014 through a landslide victory in an election held a year after he led Morsi's ouster.

The incumbent president's sole rival in the race this time is little known politician Moussa Mostafa Moussa, chairman of liberal Ghad Party, after a couple of possible strong challengers have either withdrawn or disqualified for violations.

Sisi's posters and banners of different sizes could be seen everywhere on the streets, squares, buildings, store fronts, main bridges and bus stations.

He said in a recent speech that he wished there had been more competitors in the presidential polls.

A pro-Sisi non-official campaign called "So That You Can Build It (Egypt)," launched by some politicians and lawmakers, said last December that it collected over 12 million signatures from Egyptians who support Sisi's re-election for a second term.

"We cannot say that there is a strong electoral competition, for Sisi's challenger is a little known candidate," Salama said, adding that "this election is a renewal of the Egyptian people's trust in their president that saved them at a very critical stage."

The political science professor said that Sisi performed well during his first presidential term whether at political or social levels.

Under Sisi, Egypt started in late 2016 a strict three-year economic reform program based on austerity measures, fuel and energy subsidy cuts and tax hikes, which led to nationwide rising prices.

Egypt's reform plan, which started with full local currency floatation, has been encouraged by a 12-billion-dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund, half of which has already been delivered to the most populous Arab country.

"Sisi also took massive steps in construction and economic reform that we hope they will continue and become even better. I believe the Egyptian people are aware of that," the professor explained.

Security and stability in Egypt have greatly improved under Sisi following years of political chaos and relevant security challenges, despite a declining wave of terrorism that the Egyptian military and security forces are currently fighting.

"Egyptians in general believe that the current regime rescued them from similar chaos that happened in Syria, Libya and Yemen," Al-Ahram researcher Lawindi stressed.

He added that the real desired purpose of a successful election in Egypt is the country's stability. "Taking part in the vote means saying 'yes' for Egypt's security and stability."

"The most important thing is that a citizen goes out and vote, for the election is key to maintain Egypt's security and stability," Lawindi told Xinhua, urging for a high voter turnout.