Egypt: A bus carrying Coptic Christians to Monastery was attacked on Friday. Seven people have been killed and several injured. Terrorists opened fire at the bus heading towards Monastery in Minya.
The bus was heading towards Monastery of Saint Samuel the Confessor, in Minya (South of Cairo) from Sohag (Egyptian city)
READ MORE: Ban on Niqab in France Violates Human Rights: UN Commission
#Egypt #coptic church confirms attack on bus in Minya pic.twitter.com/zxNuGwL1og
— Amira El-Fekki (@afekki) November 2, 2018
The Church Television channel has said 10 people were injured earlier Friday. A statement released by the Egypt Government News services shows 12 injuries.
Graphic images shared by the church show children present in the bus were also injured. The bus was carrying several members of the same family, the Church statement said.
In May 2017, the similar attack by a gunman killed 28 Christian heading to the same Monastery. ISIS claimed the responsibility of attack in 2017.
There are no immediate claims for this attack yet.
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egyptian President is deeply saddened by the incident and vows fight “terrorism” in Egypt.
He said on Twitter:
“This incident will not undermine the will of our nation to continue its battle for survival and construction,”
A similar attack took place in May 2017, when gunmen fired at a bus carrying Christians to the same monastery, killing at least 28 people. ISIS claimed responsibility for that attack.
State Run newspaper Al-Ahram on Friday have said, Since last year’s attack the main road to the monastery is closed to vehicles, the bus today had used an alternate route to the monastery.
The source said authorities were still searching for the attackers.
About 10 percent of Egypt’s population of 100 million is Coptic Christian.
READ MORE: Google Staff Walkout over Mistreating Women
The website of ” Coptstoday” show
The number of martyrs of the road to the monastery of Anba Samuel in Minya rose to 10 martyrs and 9 injured.
He added that a terrorist attack occurred today, targeting a group of Copts were on their way to the monastery of St. Samuel in Minya.
He said in special statements to the “Vito” that the gunmen were riding in a car and targeted a bus with firearms, pointing out that it was on the road of the monastery of St. Samuel businin one of the sons of Minya and the other sons of the province of Sohag.