CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s Foreign Ministry has strongly criticized the United States after a State Department spokeswoman said the Egyptian government used its military aid “against their own people.”

The remarks Saturday by Badr Abdel-Atti came after State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf made the comments Thursday in response to a question about U.S. military aid to Israel during the Gaza war.

Abdel-Atti said the U.S. aid Egypt receives is used in combating terrorism. He said: “These condemned remarks reflect complete ignorance and incompetence in understanding the reality of things in Egypt.”

Harf’s comments refer to the heavy security crackdown in Egypt on Islamist supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, removed from power by the military last year after millions protested against him.

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