US sells $200m in weapons to Egypt despite human rights abuses

The $197m sale of Raytheon-made Rolling Airframe Missiles was requested by the Egyptian navy to improve coastal defences.

The United States approved an arms sale worth nearly $200m to Egypt but vowed to press human rights issues after an American activist reported his family had been harassed. The Biden administration – which has vowed to end support for Saudi Arabia’s offensive operations in Yemen’s devastating war and is reviewing a major jet sale to the United Arab Emirates – said it approved the sale of 168 tactical missiles to Egypt. The $197m sale of the Raytheon-made Rolling Airframe Missiles was requested by the Egyptian navy to improve defence in coastal areas and around the Red Sea, the US Department of State said.