presstv.ir
July 14, 2013

The Pentagon and the US Embassy in Cairo have denied reports in the Egyptian media that an American task force in the Red Sea is preparing to “invade Egypt.”

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little took to Twitter on Saturday to say that such reports are “absolutely wrong,” ABC NEWS reported.

Some Egyptian press reports suggest US Navy ships are near Arabian Peninsula/Suez Canal to invade Egypt. Those reports are absolutely wrong.

— George Little (@PentagonPresSec) July 13, 2013

The US Embassy in Cairo issued a statement denying the reports.

“We deny false claims in Egyptian press that U.S. naval ships are in the vicinity of the Arabian Peninsula and the Suez Canal to militarily invade Egypt. The United States has forces regularly deployed in the vicinity of the Arabian Peninsula, and U.S. vessels regularly pass through the Suez Canal en route to the Indian Ocean or the Mediterranean Sea.”

Two US Navy vessels moved to Egypt’s Red Sea coast last week. Navy and Marine Corp officials, however, said there were no new orders to prepare for a possible conflict in Egypt.

The USS San Antonio, an amphibious transport dock, and the USS Kearsarge, an amphibious assault ship, had moved further north in the Red Sea several days before the two ships were deployed, according to Marine Corps Commandant General James Amos.

The presence of amphibious ships near the shore facilitates the movement of helicopters and other equipment.

The third ship in the group, the USS Carter Hall, has remained off the coast of Bahrain in the Gulf, Navy officials said.

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