War of Attrition Upon his return from
Moscow, Abdel Moneim Saeed was appointed to the role of planning officer in the
Second Army. In this capacity, he assumed responsibility for operational planning, working alongside senior army officials under the leadership of General
Abdul Munim Khaleel, the commander of the
Second Army. During this period, he participated in the apprehension of multiple detainees, including the Israeli officer
Assaf Yaguri. In this capacity, he devised strategic blueprints that were subsequently presented to the army commanders, thereby establishing the foundation for the
October War. The ceasefire was declared on August 8, 1970, marking the commencement of preparations for the October War. He was subsequently appointed to the Operations Authority in the Planning Branch, which was headed by Major General
Mohamed Abdel Ghani el-Gamasy. He continued to serve as the planning officer for the
Second Army under the command of General
Abdul Munim Khaleel during the
War of Attrition, where he was also responsible for monthly planning. Abdel Moneim Saeed remained in the Operations Division, coordinating with supporting forces, including
El-Sa'ka Forces,
Egyptian Navy, and
Egyptian Air Force. He also organized monthly training plans and worked with the Third Army to coordinate tasks in the
Fayed area before presenting them to the Minister of War in Cairo. His exceptional skills and dedication were so appreciated by his superiors that his appointment as a battalion commander was delayed until 1970 when he was promoted to the rank of colonel. He was then appointed Commander of the 149th Battalion of the 30th Independent Infantry Brigade in
Port Said, a position he held for one year.
October War After the
War of Attrition, Abdel Moneim Saeed was appointed as a battalion commander and later selected as a planning officer in the Operations Directorate of the
Egyptian Armed Forces. He played an important role during the
October War by being present in the main operations room after Field Marshal
Ahmad Ismail Ali was appointed Minister of War. The war was directed from this room, accompanied by the late President
Anwar Sadat. Here, he was privy to the attack plan and worked on war strategies with senior military leaders. Speaking about the war plan, he said: "The October War plan was predicated on the use of air forces by the armed forces to conduct one or two strikes on strategic targets in Israel, including airports and radar installations. Concurrently, I was situated in the central operations room, situated within the General Command of the Armed Forces in Cairo. However, this room was not openly accessible; it was instead a clandestine underground facility. At 1:00 PM, President Anwar Sadat entered the operations center in the main room to oversee the movements of the army branches and all of their leaders." He proceeded to delineate the room's layout, which he described as a square room with four principal corners. The largest of the room's four corners was occupied by a substantial table at which President
Anwar Sadat, Field Marshal
Ahmad Ismail, the Minister of Defense and General Commander, and Chief of Staff Lieutenant General
Saad el-Shazly were seated, along with the liaison officer responsible for coordinating with Syria during the war. Abdel Moneim Saeed, along with two other officers holding the rank of lieutenant colonel, was tasked with drafting the orders to be issued by the minister. In front of them was a large map displaying the war plan, with another table situated nearby where the colonel-ranked officers were seated. Abdel Moneim Saeed was one of these officers, responsible for overseeing the implementation of the plan, working in shifts to ensure continuous monitoring.
Managing the October War from the Operations Room Abdel Moneim Saeed was a planning officer in the Operations Authority and one of ten officers in the planning branch responsible for developing the war plan. This plan was then presented to the Chief of Operations, who submitted it to the Chief of Staff for approval. The role of this branch included monitoring operations and ensuring the implementation of the planned strategy, modifying it by any emerging variables. "I served as a planning officer in the primary war room of the Armed Forces' central command. In this room, a map was positioned on a central table. Additionally, an external room was designated for monitoring the Second Army, another for the Third Army, and supplementary rooms were allocated for the Air Force, Navy, and Air Defense. All this information was conveyed to the main war room, where the overall situation and its changes were managed. Information regarding the disposition of our forces and those of the enemy was received, the problem was evaluated, and a report was prepared for the Chief of Operations, who then conveyed it to the Minister and the Chief of Staff. As the battle progressed, we monitored the situation moment by moment and made decisions that were then approved by the General Command or issued as instructions to the various branches or civilian armies. "This was the function of the main war room, and our role as planning officers was to facilitate this process."
After the October Victory From October 6th to October 28th, during the ceasefire, he remained in the operations room, never leaving for any other place, and remained there throughout the entirety of the war. He slept beneath the operations table in the meeting room until the war's conclusion. Thereafter, he transferred to the Operations Authority and eventually became a brigade commander. == Positions held ==