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Condolences Flood Social Media Following Hosni Mubarak's Death


Tue 25 Feb 2020 | 01:27 PM
Yara Sameh

Many people took to social media to express their condolences and mourn the death of former Egyptian President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, who passed away earlier Tuesday at the age of 91, after a long battle with the disease.

On January 24, 2020, Alaa Mubarak, the eldest son of Egypt’s former president announced that his father underwent surgery and that his condition was stable, without going into further details.

He gave a health update on Twitter two days ago about his father's current health status, revealing that his father was in intensive care after suffering critical health problems, wishing a speedy recovery for him.

[caption id="attachment_111933" align="aligncenter" width="536"]Hosni Mubarak Hosni Mubarak[/caption]

It is worth mentioning that Mubarak was born on May 4th, 1928 and he stayed in power for three decades ended by the popular uprising of January 25th, 2011.

On 2 February 1949, he joined the Air Force Academy, gaining his commission as a pilot officer on 13 March 1950 and eventually receiving a bachelor’s degree in aviation sciences.

Mubarak severed as a commander in the Egyptian Air Force from 1972-1975, before becoming president following the assassination of former President Anwar Sadat, with whom he served as his vice-president.

Many Egyptians regarded the former president as a war hero for serving as a commander of the Egyptian Air Force during the October 6 War in 1973.

Mubarak served as an Egyptian Air Force officer in various formations and units; he spent two years in a Spitfire fighter squadron. Sometime in the 1950s, he returned to the Air Force Academy as an instructor, remaining there until early 1959.

From February 1959 to June 1961, he undertook further training in the Soviet Union, attending a Soviet pilot training school in Moscow and another at Kant Air Base near Bishkek in the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic.

In 1964, Mubarak gained a place at the Frunze Military Academy in Moscow. On his return to Egypt, he served as a wing commander, then as a base commander; he commanded the Cairo West Air Base in October 1966 then briefly commanded the Beni Suef Air Base.

Mubarak became the Air Force Academy’s commander in November 1967 when he was credited with doubling the number of Air Force pilots and navigators during the pre-October War years. Two years later, he became Chief of Staff for the Egyptian Air Force.

In 1972, he became Commander of the Air Force and Egyptian Deputy Minister of Defense. On 6 October 1973, at the breakout of the October War, the Egyptian Air Force launched a surprise attack on Israeli soldiers on the east bank of the Suez Canal.

Egyptian pilots hit 90% of their targets, making Mubarak a national hero. The next year he was promoted to Air Chief Marshal in recognition of service during the October War of 1973 against Israel. Mubarak was credited in some publications for Egypt’s initial strong performance in the war.

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