Egypt’s Coptic Christians continue to be the target of terrorist attacks. Masked gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Christians to a monastery. At least 26 people were killed and 25 were wounded.
According to CBN News, the Christians were traveling by bus to Saint Samuel the Confessor Monastery in Maghagha, south of Cairo.
Witnesses reported seeing eight to 10 attackers. No terrorist organization has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but officials believe it to be the work of the Islamic State, as it bears all the tell-tale signs.
The Islamic State has also issued warnings to Egypt’s Christians in recent months that more attacks are to follow ones already carried out, such as the church bombings in December and on Palm Sunday, which killed over 75 and wounded dozens more.
This recent attack is the third major attack of Egyptian Christians in only six months. Children were reportedly among the victims.
Steven A. Cook, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations, commented on the increased threat faced by Coptic Christians: "They have never been targeted in the way that they are now. Egypt is extremely dangerous for Copts in ways it hasn't been dangerous before."
Coptic Christians have ancient roots in Egypt, but are vastly in the minority in a Muslim-dominated country. Christians make up only about 10 percent of Egypt’s 83 million population, according to NBC News.
Photo courtesy:Thinkstockphotos.com
Publication date: May 26, 2017
