Egypt sacks electricity officials amid energy crisis

Egypt, gripped by an acute energy crisis, has sacked at least eight senior officials in the state-run electricity companies over suspected links with the banned Muslim Brotherhood.

The sackings, made public on Monday, come after police busted six networks of Islamists accused of attacking power pylons and plants in six Egyptian provinces. Police said the arrested 40 people admitted to having received information from Brotherhood employees and officials inside the Electricity Ministry about the locations and productivity rates of the targeted facilities.

One of the sacked officials is Hassan Al Refaai, who served as governor of the Suez Canal city of Esmailia in the era of Islamist president Mohammad Mursi deposed by the army last year after angry street protests against his rule. Al Refaai’s last post was deputy head of a state-run power-generating company in Egypt’s Delta area, according to the semi-official newspaper Al Ahram.