US Central Command commander visits Egypt

WASHINGTON

United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla visited Egypt on May 6-7, CENTCOM said Tuesday.

During his visit to the capital Cairo, Kurilla held meetings with Gen. Mohamed Zaki, the commander-in-chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces and minister of defense and military production, and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Osama Askar to "gain a deeper understanding of the perspectives of Egyptian military leaders on regional security and the status of humanitarian aid," CENTCOM said in a statement.

They focused their discussions on regional security concerns in the Gaza Strip and the Red Sea, alleviating humanitarian suffering in Gaza, and the need to reestablish stability following the current regional conflicts, it added.

"Egypt plays a critical role in regional security and has been instrumental in enabling humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza," Kurilla was quoted as saying in the statement.

"Meetings like today’s are crucial to building a deeper understanding of the regional challenges and maintaining the relationships necessary to improve security," he added.