Egypt's Sisi replaces head of powerful general intelligence agency

CAIRO (Reuters) -Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi named Major General Hassan Mahmoud Rashad as head of the powerful general intelligence agency on Wednesday, appointing the outgoing chief Abbas Kamel as an adviser to the presidency.

The agency has played a leading role under Sisi, handling foreign-policy matters including conflicts in Gaza, Sudan and Libya, as well as domestic-security issues linked to a long-running crackdown on political dissent.

Rashad previously served as a deputy to Kamel, and according to two security sources, had taken over management of important files, including warming relations between Egypt and Iran.

It was not immediately clear what impact the change could have, but Sisi has depended heavily on Kamel, who was a fixture in meetings with senior foreign leaders and at summits. Kamel was often sent on trips abroad as an envoy.

Kamel, 68, was appointed head of the intelligence agency in 2018, before which he worked in military intelligence and was director of Sisi's office.

He had recently asked to delegate some of his heavy workload after suffering health problems, the security sources said.

Stalled negotiations for a ceasefire deal in Gaza, in which Egypt has been a mediator along with the United States and Qatar, have been handled by another senior intelligence official and overseen by Kamel.

Pictures released along with a statement by the presidency showed Rashad and Kamel meeting Sisi, and Rashad swearing an oath in front of the president.

Rashad is a graduate of Cairo's Military Technical College, a traditional training ground for leaders of the intelligence services.

(Reporting by Mohamed Hendawy and Ahmed Mohamed Hassan; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, William Maclean and Rod Nickel)

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