Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi
Abdel Fattah Al-SisiReuters

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Thursday replaced the interior and defense ministers of the country’s cabinet in a major reshuffle, AFP reported.

Sisi, who also named a new finance minister, swept to another four years in office against in the country’s recent elections in March, pledging to tackle the raft of security and economic challenges facing the country.

Last week, the country’s former Prime Minister, Sherif Ismail, submitted his government's resignation, in keeping with political tradition at the start of a new presidential term.

Sisi later appointed housing minister Mustafa Madbouly as Prime Minister and tasked him with the formation of a new government.

The reshuffle comes as Egyptian security forces continue battling an Islamist insurgency.

Egyptian forces have since February been waging a sweeping operation against the local affiliate of the Islamic State group in the restive North Sinai province.

Sinai Province, the Egyptian affiliate of ISIS which pledged allegiance to the jihadists in 2014, has claimed most of the attacks in the Sinai Peninsula in recent years.

General Mohamed Ahmed Zaki Mohamed, who led the republican guard since August 2012, became the new defense minister in place of Sedki Sobhi.

The position of interior minister was filled by General Mahmoud Tawfiq, who had led the national security apparatus since October 2017, replacing Magdi Abdel Ghaffar.

Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed Moeet, who has previously held several government posts in various ministries, replaced Amr el-Garhy in the key role of finance minister, according to AFP.

Other changes included the ministers overseeing aviation, health, communications, environment, commerce and agriculture.