On Eve of Ramadan, Islamic Gunmen Kill 28 Coptic Christians on Pilgrimage in Egypt

Patrick Poole | 8:40 AM on May 26, 2017

Just hours before the beginning of Ramadan, gunmen have killed 26 Coptic Christians on pilgrimage to a monastery in Upper Egypt.

Most of the victims were children:

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The Associated Press reports:

Masked militants riding in three SUVs opened fire Friday on a bus packed with Coptic Christians, including children, south of the Egyptian capital, killing at least 28 people and wounding 22, the Interior Ministry said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the fourth to target Christians since December, but it bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State group. The attack came on the eve of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The assault happened while the bus was traveling on a side road in the desert leading to the remote monastery of Saint Samuel the Confessor in Maghagha, in Minya governorate, about 220 kilometers (140 miles) south of Cairo where Christians account for more than 35 percent of the population, the highest ratio in any province.

Security officials quoted witnesses as saying they saw between eight and 10 attackers dressed in military uniforms and wearing masks. The victims were en route from the nearby province of Beni Suef to visit the monastery.

Security and medical officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters, said the death toll stood at 28 but feared it could rise. According to Copts United news portal, only three children survived the attack. It was not immediately known how many of the victims were children.

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The images from the scene are horrific:

Muslim Brotherhood supporters are already cheering the attack:

While one U.S.-based Muslim Brotherhood supporter is promoting conspiracy theories:

This is the fourth mass attack targeting the Coptic Christian community since December.

Just a few weeks ago, I reported exclusively for PJ Media at the scene of the Two Saints Church suicide bombing in Cairo that killed 29 — all but one victim were women and girls:

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We covered that bombing:

Four victims would die in the weeks following that attack, raising the total number of dead to 29.

Two suicide attacks targeting Coptic churches killed 49 during Palm Sunday services last month. The church bombing in Alexandria that day targeted Coptic Pope Tawadros, who was not injured in the blast:

As I reported, Egyptian security thwarted another attack on a monastery in Upper Egypt:

Coptic Christians in Sinai have been targeted as well, with hundreds fleeing across the Suez Canal:

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And the year began with the murder of a Christian shopkeeper in Alexandria, who had his throat slit by an Islamist for selling alcohol:

There have been a number of killings targeting Coptic Christians this year:

The attack today will most likely be claimed by the Islamic State, which conducted the three church suicide bombings since December, and threatened more attacks:

As I noted here a few weeks ago, former Homeland Security Senior Fellow Mohamed Elibiary responded to those Islamic State threats by stating on his Twitter that the Coptic Christians deserved to be targeted:

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It wasn’t a mistake — these are sentiments he has expressed before:

With hours before the beginning of Ramadan, Egypt’s besieged Coptic Christian community is targeted again.

Lord have mercy.

Patrick Poole
For media inquiries, please contact [email protected]

Patrick Poole is a national security and terrorism correspondent for PJMedia. Follow him on Twitter.
Category: HOMELAND SECURITY
Tags: HOMELAND SECURITY

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