In brief
Egypt's cautious approach reflects its own tumultuous past amid Syria's political upheaval.
In the wake of Syria's Islamist rebels overthrowing president Bashar al-Assad, the phrase “It’s your turn, dictator” gained traction on Egyptian social media, clearly directed at President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. As Syria celebrates its revolutionary success, Egypt's government remains alert to any potential uprising that might spill over its borders. Both countries share a history marked by the events of the Arab Spring, with Egypt experiencing its own revolution that ousted longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak before el-Sisi's military takeover. Now, as tensions brew in Damascus following the fall of al-Assad on December 8, Egyptian officials have rushed to apprehend at least 30 Syrian refugees in Cairo who erupted into celebrations over the dictator's downfall. This act underscores the Egyptian leadership's extreme caution regarding the power dynamics in the region, as they remain wary of a resurgence of Islamist influence which recently emerged in neighboring Syria.
