Many Coptic Christians in Egypt left North Sinai province following a series of attacks by suspected Muslim extremists. The Christian families are now in the Evangelical Church in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, the BBC reports.
Suspected Islamic militants gunned down a Coptic Christian man in his home in northern Sinai. The suspects stormed the home of Kamel Youssef, a plumber, on Thursday and shot him to death in front of his family.
Officials and a Christian priest who requested anonymity revealed that this was the seventh religion-related crime in a month. The witnesses, together with other hundreds of Christians, feared retaliation by the militants, Times of Israel said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is being linked to the propaganda video released by Egypt’s Islamic State group affiliate threatening to increase attacks against the Christian minority.
In a statement issued on Friday, Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church condemned “the repeated terrorist attacks targeting Egyptian Christians in North Sinai.” The Church expressed its condolences over the attacks and has vowed to provide support to the victims of persecution.
Sources:
Abc news. (2017). ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/egypt-officials-christian-killed-sinai-sixth-month-45705848
Timesofisraelcom. (2017). The Times of Israel. http://www.timesofisrael.com/egypt-christians-flee-sinai-after-spate-of-attacks/
Ahramorgeg. (2017). Ahramorgeg. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/258821/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-Coptic-Orthodox-Church-condemns-attacks-on-.aspx
