Sidi Barrani (سيدي برّاني) is a village in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about 95 km (59 miles) east of the border with Libya, and around 240 km (149 miles) from Tobruk.

Sidi Barrani is mainly a Bedouin community, with food and gasoline supplies, but it has little if any tourist activity or organized historical curiosities. It has only one small hotel.

History

Sidi Barrani is often used, in historical writing, to mark the extent of the initial Italian invasion into Egypt, from Libya. The Italian Tenth Army built a series of forts in the vicinity.

American Field Service volunteers (providing ambulance services), serving with the 8th Army, were based in the area, in June 1942, 30 miles east of Sidi Barrani.

Sidi Barrani was a destination point during the total solar eclipse on October 3, 2005, as expeditions traveled to the best observation point, Zawiet Mahtallah, 27 km (16.8 miles) east of Sidi Barrani.

See also

• Military history of Italy during World War II
• Military history of Egypt during World War II

Notes