DHAKA: United States Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Egypt on Sunday on a surprise trip, becoming the highest-ranking US official to visit since president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to power.

Kerry was to meet Sisi during his lightning trip to press the former army chief, who ousted Egypt’s first democratically elected president, to install greater political freedoms and discuss security challenges.

Since Islamist president Mohamed Mursi was toppled in July 2013, a government crackdown on his supporters has left more than 1,400 people dead in street clashes and at least 15,000 jailed.

US officials warned Washington still has deep concerns about the government’s ‘polarising tactics’, even though there was a ‘recognition that Egypt has been going through a very difficult transition’, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1258 HRS, JUNE 22, 2014