Egypt: Bus full of Coptic Christians attacked near site of 2017 Minya massacre

By Joanne Stocker – The Defense Post – 

A bus carrying Coptic Christian passengers to a monastery was attacked in Egypt’s Minya governorate, according to reports on Friday, November 2.

The bus was carrying passengers from Sohag to the St. Samuel the Confessor monastery when unidentified gunmen opened fire, killing several people, a report from Al-Araby Al-Jadeed said.

The assailants shot at on a second bus and tried to attack a third which managed to drive away, Al Arabiya reported.

Daily News Egypt reported that emergency crews were responding after gunshots were heard near the monastery.

There was no immediate confirmation of casualties, but Reuters reported the archbishop as saying that seven people were dead and 14 injured.

No group claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack but Islamic State’s Egypt affiliate has called for attacks on Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s predominantly Sunni Muslim population.

On October 11, an Egyptian military court sentenced 17 people to death over a series of suicide attacks on Christian churches in 2016 and 2017.

Christian sites of worship across Egypt have been repeatedly targeted in attacks claimed by Islamic State Sinai Province, prompting authorities to impose a state of emergency 18 months ago.

The Egyptian army is waging a major operation focused on the Sinai aimed at wiping out ISIS.

“I confirm our determination to continue our efforts to combat dark terrorism and apprehend the culprits,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said in a Facebook post on Friday.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

___________________________

Egypt: Bus full of Coptic Christians attacked near site of 2017 Minya massacre