See below for updates:
Terrorists have bombed two Coptic churches today in Egypt. The first blast was in Tanta in the Nile Delta, where 25-26 are reported dead.
Another Coptic church in Egypt hit with an explosion on Palm Sunday. At least 27 killed in Tanta and Alexandria. https://t.co/B9HDPxyKcV pic.twitter.com/b8qLyjlOOq
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) April 9, 2017
In Alexandria, Pope Tawadros II was leading mass when a suicide bomber struck St. Mark’s church. Pope Tawadros has survived, but a police officer was killed along with several others worshipers.
Egypt updates:
• at least 21 killed in initial blast in Nile Delta
• 2nd explosion hits Coptic church in Alexandriahttps://t.co/o5BzYXd3ID— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) April 9, 2017
3 dead in Alexandria suicide bombing outside the Coptic cathedral, including a police officer. 25 or 26 deaths in the Tanta church boming.
— The Big Pharaoh (@TheBigPharaoh) April 9, 2017
This occurs just months after a suicide bomber targeted a church in the Coptic cathedral compound in Cairo last December that killed 29 — mostly women and children.
25 Coptic Worshippers Killed by Terror Attack in Cairo Cathedral https://t.co/R6gtvvnOd7 #trending pic.twitter.com/hzBoE1N8zJ
— PJ Media (@PJMedia_com) December 11, 2016
The Islamic State later took credit for the suicide bombing.
New Islamic State Video Threatens Egyptian Christians, Shows December Church Suicide Bomber https://t.co/S1K2XdzQOd via @pjmedia_com
— Patrick Poole (@pspoole) February 19, 2017
As I reported here at PJ Media in February, hundreds of Coptic Christians fled the Sinai after repeated attacks targeting their community.
Hundreds of Egyptian Coptic Christians Flee Sinai After Series of Islamic State Murders, Video Threat https://t.co/1svJwYCUDc @pjmedia_com
— Patrick Poole (@pspoole) February 25, 2017
Coptic Christians have been targeted across Egypt in recent months:
More Coptic Christians Murdered the Past Two Months Than Admitted As Refugees During Obama's Presidency https://t.co/AtDG82LqaU @pjmedia_com
— Patrick Poole (@pspoole) February 14, 2017
I will provide updates here as they are available.
UPDATE:
41 are now reported dead in the two blasts.
Death toll so far in both church bombings. Tanta: 30. Alexandria: 11. (Via news channels)
— The Big Pharaoh (@TheBigPharaoh) April 9, 2017
The first images of Pope Tawadros II, who was leading mass in the church in Alexandria during the suicide bombing:
#مصر – #عاجل | ⛪️ ننشر أول صور لـ #البابا_تواضروس دخل #الكنيسة_المرقسية بعد استهدافهاhttps://t.co/eeKkZQLVOY pic.twitter.com/6IdezdG754
— اليوم السابع (@youm7) April 9, 2017
A heroic policeman saved many lives there:
The police officer who reportedly stopped the suicide bomber before the Alexandria church explosion. Pictured here with his son. No words. https://t.co/coBWdCQV64
— The Big Pharaoh (@TheBigPharaoh) April 9, 2017
Reports that a security officer outside the Alexandria church that was bombed bravely tried to hug the suicide bomber to shield civilians https://t.co/a6OTal9qsd
— Timothy E Kaldas (@tekaldas) April 9, 2017
According to Egypt's ministry of interior , a policewoman was killed also in the #Alexandria #Church attack while stopping suicide bomber
— Zeinobia (@Zeinobia) April 9, 2017
A map showing the locations of the bombings:
Here's the latest on #Egypt as intense security measures are taking place throughout the country's Coptic churches. pic.twitter.com/8em8dQZytv
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) April 9, 2017
UPDATE 2: The Islamic State has claimed credit for the church bombing attacks
Through it's 'Amaq News Agency, #ISIS claimed credit for attacks on Coptic Churches in #Tanta and #Alexandria in #Egypt pic.twitter.com/oSMVKopVQY
— SITE Intel Group (@siteintelgroup) April 9, 2017
Video from the first church bombing in Tanta:
لحظة وقوع الانفجار في كنيسة #مار_جرجس بـ #طنطاhttps://t.co/Tsrp6o3bBH pic.twitter.com/5BW9dGSjET
— ا لـ حـ ـد ث (@AlHadath) April 9, 2017
One of the martyrs from the bombing in Tanta:
https://twitter.com/NaderSamir98/status/851043685907267584
A father whose daughter was killed in the attack today:
الراجل ده اكتشف ان بنته و مراته من الوفيات #اسكندرية #كنيسة_الاسكندرية pic.twitter.com/WdYSJFukwG
— Mohamed Saadoun 🎬 (@SaadounFilm) April 9, 2017
In 2014 I attended the Easter service at the cathedral in Cairo. We had to go through six layers of security. Thanks to the Egyptian police and army who guard Egypt’s churches:
Four of those who died in the St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church bombing in Alexandria are police officers, a security source told Extra News.
— Mada Masr مدى مصر (@MadaMasr) April 9, 2017
Bradgadier General Nagwa. She died in the Alex. church bombing. Was in the security detail. Pic with her son. RIP pic.twitter.com/SsPBCoUQjm
— The Big Pharaoh (@TheBigPharaoh) April 9, 2017
UPDATE 3: Ahram reports the current number of dead at 49 – 27 in Tanta, and 18 civilians and four police in Alexandria:
#Egypt's #CopticChurch buries victims of #Tanta bombing https://t.co/K6mcQO1MPH pic.twitter.com/8Qfzd0uAGU
— Ahram Online (@ahramonline) April 10, 2017
Egypt reportedly announces three days of national mourning after ISIS bombings https://t.co/Q9j2HBxGlI
— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) April 9, 2017
Sisi announces three-month state of emergency in first comments after #PalmSundaybombingshttps://t.co/Ew20CutPT2
— Mada Masr مدى مصر (@MadaMasr) April 9, 2017
ISIS has promised more attacks:
#BREAKING: #ISIS says they carried out the #Egypt church bombings with suicide vests and have warned of more attacks to come. #EgyptBombing
— Jon Haworth (@JonHaworth_) April 9, 2017
Funerals for those killed in Tanta occurred last night. Funerals for the victims in Alexandria will be later today. The Coptic church does not conduct funeral mass during Holy Week, which will presumably occur next week.
Funerals held for Egypt's church bombing victims https://t.co/xZqaoctFMY pic.twitter.com/cEmDS1X5U8
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 10, 2017
Photographs of some of the victims of the #Cairo Cathedral terror attack that killed 25 people, mostly women. (Via Youm7) #Egypt pic.twitter.com/4vUrJ6EpR1
— Egyptian Streets (@EgyptianStreets) December 11, 2016
Some victims of today's ISIS attack on a church in Tanta, Egypt. https://t.co/7wDuJGyjkW https://t.co/RBkIj7otWd https://t.co/3AxVVXuxD1 pic.twitter.com/6mnFMYYUeR
— Oren Kessler (@OrenKessler) April 9, 2017
Coptic priest among the martyrs of St. George Church in Tanta https://t.co/IB7lCntzx1
— DAVID (@dvdvrgl) April 10, 2017
Father Daniel Maher, still in his bloody tunic, lost his son Bishoy in the St George church bombing by #IS #طنطا #مار_جرجس #Egypt pic.twitter.com/uZoJKo6CXo
— Farid Y. Farid (@FaridYFarid) April 9, 2017
David Said saw fire, ash, smoke, blood and body parts everywhere. His friend died in his arms. His blood staining his shirt. #egypt pic.twitter.com/cJIWFNVERd
— Ian James Lee (@ianjameslee) April 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/degner/status/851124014663823360
This is video of the suicide bombing in Alexandria. You can see that the bomber is stopped from coming through the gate and directed towards the metal detector. When the detector goes off he is not allowed through, at which point he detonates his bomb with two female police standing directly beside him.
حصرياً .. لحظة تفجير الإنتحارى لنفسه أمام #الكنيسة_المرقسية#ONLIVE #كنيسة_مارجرجس #طنطا pic.twitter.com/wQX8isHr76
— ONlive (@ONliveEgypt) April 9, 2017
Another view of the Alexandria bombing:
لحظة انفجار الكنيسة المرقسية فى الاسكندرية 2017 pic.twitter.com/5UDC24EkUl
— المصري اليوم (@AlMasryAlYoum) April 9, 2017
The attacks on the Coptic Christian community have been part of the ISIS strategy:
Here's a look at major attacks against Egypt's embattled Christian minority over the past year. https://t.co/FZlQFIEYNA
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 9, 2017
In late February I reported here at PJ Media on the attacks on the Coptic community in al-Arish in the Sinai, prompting the mass evacuation of the community to cities across the Suez Canal.
Hundreds of Egyptian Coptic Christians Flee Sinai After Series of Islamic State Murders, Video Threat https://t.co/1svJwYCUDc @pjmedia_com
— Patrick Poole (@pspoole) February 25, 2017
And last August I chronicled by April 2014 trip into Upper Egypt to survey some of the 70+ churches and monasteries destroyed by the Muslim Brotherhood in August 2013:
Revisiting the Muslim Brotherhood's August 2013 'Reign of Terror' Targeting Egypt's Christians https://t.co/Rf31VJzz4z #homelandsecurity
— PJ Media (@PJMedia_com) August 14, 2016
The Muslim Brotherhood can condemn attacks on Copts all they like. They help foster a climate in which extremism flourishes. #Egypt
— Julie Lenarz (@MsJulieLenarz) April 9, 2017
MB issued a statement in English "condemning" #Egypt attacks; yet in Arabic it accuses sec forces of creating "illusion of terror"
— Menna منّة (@TheMiinz) April 9, 2017
The Muslim Brotherhood authors a conspiracy theory accusing #Egypt gov of "orchestrating or facilitating" the terrorist attacks on churches: pic.twitter.com/4XlhPdbRSz
— Eric Trager (@EricTrager18) April 9, 2017
Istanbul-based MB 'youth' spreads hideous conspiracy theory that Coptic Pope was informed of today's attack & left before it happened. pic.twitter.com/a2wkcawpgN
— Eric Trager (@EricTrager18) April 9, 2017
And it’s helpful to observe these attacks on the largest Christian community in the Middle East are not new developments:
https://twitter.com/Mokhtar_Awad/status/851065783434260480
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