Egypt Releases 3,886 Prisoners on 6th of October Victory Anniversary

On Wednesday, Egypt's Prisons Authority released 3,886 inmates on the occasion of marking the 48th anniversary of the October War in 1973, the country's interior ministry said in a statement.

"The move was to implement President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi's pardon decision," the statement said.

According to the Egyptian constitution, the president can issue pardon decrees for prisoners who had received final court rulings that cannot be further appealed.

The decree came on the occasion of the anniversary of the October War, the statement added.

The Egyptian president usually issues a pardon decree on public holidays including two religious Muslim festivals, the holy month of Ramadan and the July 23 Revolution anniversary.

Egypt celebrates on 6 October the 48th anniversary of its victory against Israel under the leadership of late president Anwar El-Sadat.

On October 6, 1973, at 2:00 p.m. (Cairo time) the Egyptian Armed Forces launched its war against the Israeli troops bringing down Bar Lev Line (a series of fortifications).

As a result, the Israeli troops were forced to retreat 15 kilometers eastern the Suez Canal; meanwhile, Syrian troops waged the war near Golan Heights against the Israeli troops.

The war that lasted for almost two weeks paved the way for negotiations that gave rise to the Peace Treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979, and the liberation of entire Sinai, except for Taba which was recovered by Egypt through international arbitration in 1989.