In a troubling aftermath of Syria's revolution, Egyptian authorities brace for potential domestic unrest.
**Egypt on High Alert as Syria Faces Post-Revolution Reality**
**Egypt on High Alert as Syria Faces Post-Revolution Reality**
Egyptian leaders fear political upheaval as Syria's Islamist rebels rise to power, drawing eerie parallels with their own history.
Shortly after the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Egyptian social media erupted with the trending hashtag, “It’s your turn, dictator,” aimed directly at President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. This grassroots declaration has surfaced amid rising anxiety within Egypt's leadership, who remain acutely aware of how swiftly revolutionary zeal can spread across borders.
The shared experiences of turmoil following the Arab Spring are palpable between Egypt and Syria. Years after the outset of the Arab Spring in late 2010, the Syrian rebellion reached its tipping point with the ousting of al-Assad on December 8, a moment that stirs memories in Egypt where the 2011 revolution led to the downfall of Hosni Mubarak and the temporary rise of an Islamist political party.
In a move indicating their concern regarding possible contagion of revolutionary sentiments, Egyptian authorities apprehended at least 30 Syrian refugees in Cairo who were celebrating al-Assad's departure. This crackdown reflects the broader apprehension felt by el-Sisi and other leaders in the region who fear the ascendance of Islamist factions, similar to those now emerging in Syria. With instability in a neighboring nation, Egyptian security agencies are on high alert, anticipating that discontent may spill into their own streets as revolutionary fervor continues to loom.
