CAIRO, Aug 17 (Aswat Masriya) - Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ratified on Wednesday a law that permits cooperation between the armed forces and the police forces in protecting public and vital facilities for five more years.

The cabinet agreed late June to extend the application of the law for two years before the parliament decided earlier in August to extend it for five years starting October 28. 

There was unanimous approval for the five-year extension after the head of the defence and security committee at the House of Representatives Kamal Amer said that the current situation in Egypt necessitates an extension for a longer period of time.

Sisi issued a presidential decree on Oct. 27, 2014 allowing the military to assist police forces in the protection of public facilities. It also allowed military trials for those accused of attacking such facilities.

The law, passed shortly after the death of at least 33 security personnel in a militant attack in Sinai in October 2014.

Law 136/ 2014 aims to protect public and "vital" facilities against "terrorist operations", said presidential spokesman Alaa Youssef at the time. Such facilities include electric power plants and pylons, gas pipelines, oil fields, railroads, roads and bridges. 

The law considers vital facilities as military facilities as long as they remain under military protection and any crimes committed against these facilities fall within the jurisdiction of the military judiciary.

Militancy in Egypt has witnessed a significant rise particularly in the Sinai Peninsula ever since the military ouster of former president Mohamed Mursi following mass protests against his rule.