Ahmed Mansi

Colonel Ahmed el-Mansi (Arabic: أحمد المنسي‎) was the commander of Egypt's Sa'ka Forces (special forces) Thunderbolt Battalion 103, who was killed with several other members of his battalion on Friday, July 7, 2017 in a violent terrorist attack on an ambush in North Sinai's al-Barth village located between the border town of Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid town during the clashes between Egyptian armed forces and Islamist militants affiliated to ISIS.[6][7][8]

Birth nameAhmad Saber Muhammad 'Ali Mansy
Nickname(s)The Legend[1][2][3][4]
Born(1978-10-04)October 4, 1978
Minya al-Qamh, al-Sharqiyya Governorate
DiedJuly 7, 2017(2017-07-07) (aged 38)
Rafah, North Sinai Governorate
Allegiance Egypt
Egyptian Armed Forces Egyptian Army
Rank Colonel, Military staff
UnitUnit 999
Battles/warsRafah terror attack
Alma materEgyptian Military Academy
Spouse(s)Manar Selim[5]

According to the Egyptian army spokesperson Tamer el-Rifa'i, the army besieged groups of terrorists and foiled attacks that targeted a number of other checkpoints in the Rafah area in North Sinai.

The ambush got encircled by 13 armed vehicles carrying 100 takfiris (terrorists who claim others are unbelievers). The outcome of the battle that lasted for hours was the killing of 40 takfiris and the destruction of six vehicles. Yet, 13 officers and soldiers at the ambush martyred, including Colonel Mansi.[9]

Life
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He was born in 1978 in Minya al-Qamh district in al-Sharqiyya governorate. He joined the Sa'ka Forces in the Nineties, immediately after his graduation from the Egyptian Military Academy in 1998. He had served for a long time in the Special Forces Task Force Unit 999, which is the most powerful unit in Egypt's Thunderbolt Forces. In 2001, he joined the first expeditionary special forces SEAL team and then traveled to the United States of America for training in 2006.[10]

Mansi obtained a master's degree in military science from the Command and Staff College, and he took over as commander of the 103rd Sa'ka (Thunderbolt) Forces Battalion in Sinai after the martyrdom of the battalion's former commander, Colonel Rami Hasanein, in October 2016.[11]

In 2016, he was awarded by the battalion during the month of Ramadan for his excellent performance and his military discipline.[12]

TV series

Actor Amir Karara played the biography of Colonel Ahmed el-Mansy in TV series titled "The Choice", which premiered in Ramadan 2020.[13][14][15] The series has been a success in the Egyptian and Arab street, since its introduction at the beginning of the month of Ramadan 2020, and its events revolve around the martyrdom of the hero of the Egyptian armed forces, Colonel Ahmed al-Mansi.[16][17][18][19]

The events also cover the life of the terrorist Hesham Ashmawy,[20][21] an infamous former fellow officer who masterminded several terror attacks in Egypt before and after his escape to Libya, where he was eventually captured, returned to Egypt and sentenced to death.[22]

Death and funeral

Actor Mohamed Ramadan attended his funeral, he said that it was a funeral of a hero who knows the real meaning of being an Egyptian. He said that he met Colonel Mansy twice during his enlistment in the Egyptian armed forces.[23]

Honour
Mansi and Ashmawi are both human beings and army officers who shared the same unit in the Armed Forces. We look up to the former with pride and gratitude, while we look to hold the latter one accountable for his crimes. The simple difference between Ashmawi and Mansi is that the former may have been confused or even a traitor, while the latter maintained the correct path, sacrificing his life to protect his country and people.[24]

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi inaugurated a floating bridge called "Martyr Ahmed el-Mansi" connecting the Eastern and Western shores of the Suez Canal in Zone 6 in the Ismailia Governorate, achieving integration with ferries and undersea tunnels.[25][26]

el-Sisi also drew a comparison between Colonel Ahmed el-Mansy and Hesham Ashmawi, and said there is a huge difference between Mansy and Ashmawy, stressing that both were officers of the same Army Special Forces unit, but one of them chose to betray the country, while the other remained loyal.[27][28]

See also

References
  1. "A rare photo of the Egyptian martyr "The Legend" Ahmed Mansi". Saudi 24 News.
  2. "Friend of 'Mansi the Legend' reveals new details about his life, death". Egypt Today.
  3. "In Pictures: Colonel Ahmed El-Mansy, The Real Life Hero Behind Amir Karara's 'Al Ikhtiyar'". Scoop Empire.
  4. "Egypt's unsung heroes of Operation Sinai 2018 against terrorism speak". Al-Ahram.
  5. "Brother of the martyr Ahmed Al-Mansi for "Al-Nahar": clips of "Choice"". Saudi 24 News.
  6. "Profile: Ahmed el-Mansy…commander of Sa'ka Forces martyr". Egypt Today.
  7. "At least 23 Egyptian soldiers killed in attack on Sinai checkpoint". The Guardian.
  8. "Listen to an Egyptian soldier's last words recorded in a WhatsApp message". Al Arabiya.
  9. "Friend of 'Mansi the Legend' reveals new details about his life, death". Egypt Today.
  10. "Mansi: Legend of 103rd Thunderbolt Forces in Sinai". The Portal - Center For Middle Eastern Studies.
  11. "Mansi: Legend of 103rd Thunderbolt Forces in Sinai". thereference-paris.com.
  12. "Synergy releases promo of 'El-Ekhteyar' series set to be released in Ramadan". Egypt Today.
  13. "Amir Karara to Play Ahmed el-Mansy in TV series "The Choice"". see.news (Sada El-Balad English).
  14. "Mohamed Emam to Appear on Amir Karara's "The Choice"". see.news (Sada El-Balad English).
  15. "Egypt has made an epic Ramadan series about the battle with ISIS: The Choice الإختيار". After ISIS – The defeat of ISIS and the new Middle East.
  16. "Brother of the martyr Ahmed Al-Mansi for "Al-Nahar": clips of "Choice"". Saudi 24 News.
  17. "Let the Moslasalat Marathon Begin!". Egypt Today.
  18. "'Elekhteyar' : Remembering our Egyptian army champions who will never die". Egypt Today.
  19. "Why are Egyptian series 'El-Nehaya', 'El-Ekhteyar' trending on Twitter?". Egypt Today.
  20. "A rare photo of the Egyptian martyr "The Legend" Ahmed Mansi". Saudi 24 News.
  21. "the-legend"-ahmed-mansi.ByZWDaAIKL.html "A rare photo of the Egyptian martyr "The Legend" Ahmed Mansi". Teller Report.
  22. "A Ramadan series brings Egypt's fight against extremists to TV screens". The Arab Weekly.
  23. "Profile: Ahmed el-Mansy…commander of Sa'ka Forces martyr". Egypt Today.
  24. "President Sisi says Egypt wants terrorist Ashmawi to face justice on its soil". Al-Ahram.
  25. "Sisi gives green light to operation of Canal floating bridge". Egypt Today.
  26. "Egypt's Sisi inaugurates major tunnel, bridge projects at East Suez Canal development zone". Al-Ahram.
  27. "Ashmawy Expected to Be Handed over to Egypt Next Week". Asharq Al-Awsat.
  28. "President Sisi says Egypt wants terrorist El-Ashmawi to face justice on its soil". Al-Ahram.
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