Kerry makes surprise Egyptian visit as US sends $572 million in aid

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Egypt Sunday on a surprise visit as officials announced that the US quietly sent around $572 million in mostly military aid to Egypt 10 days ago.

Kerry was to meet President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during a lightning trip to reportedly press the former army chief to address fears of a crackdown on dissent, warning Washington was concerned about Cairo's "polarising tactics".

Kerry will be the highest-ranking US official to visit since Sisi came to power.

His visit comes as US officials said the country sent $572 million in mostly military aid to Egypt this month after Congress approved its release.

The funds are the first tranche of some $1.5 billion in mostly military aid which has been frozen since October amid US administration demands that the Egyptian government introduce democratic reforms. Ten Apache helicopters, which have also been approved for release, remain in storage however.

In October, the State Department said it would "hold the delivery of certain large-scale military systems and cash assistance to the government pending credible progress toward an inclusive, democratically elected civilian government through free and fair elections."

Despite the military assistance freeze, the US has continued to send the Egyptian military millions of dollars worth of parts for tanks, helicopters, fighters jets and guided missiles. 

In April, the Obama administration released $650 million in military aid for "counterterrorism and border security" despite an attempt to block the aid package by US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) who heads the Senate's foreign aid appropriations subcommittee.

"I am not prepared to sign off on the delivery of additional aid for the Egyptian military until we have a better understanding of how the aid would be used, and we see convincing evidence that the government is committed to the rule of law," Leahy said at the time.

Also in April, Leahy and other members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, indicated that the Egyptian elections would serve as a 'litmus test' revealing whether the country was taking steps towards a democratic transition and would be an opportunity to reassess US aid packages to Egypt. 

On Saturday, an Egyptian court confirmed the death sentences of more than 180 defendants, including Muslim Brotherhood chief Mohamed Badie, after a mass trial that sparked international outcry.

A government crackdown has left more than 1,400 people dead and seen at least 15,000 jailed since the military ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.