Twin church bombings ‘by IS’ kill 44 in Egypt

Sisi declares three-month emergency; pope prays for victims

Bombings at two Egyptian churches killed more than 44 people as they gathered to mark Palm Sunday, officials said, in one of the deadliest recent attacks on the country's Coptic Christians, reports AFP. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the church bombings. The attacks followed a Cairo church bombing in December and came weeks before a planned visit by Catholic Pope Francis intended to show support for Egypt's Christian minority.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared a three-month state of emergency in Egypt following the twin church bombings. Sisi announced the "state of emergency for three months" in a defiant speech at the presidential palace after a meeting of the national defence council.
The first bombing at the Mar Girgis church in Tanta city north of Cairo killed 27 people, the health ministry said. "I just felt fire grabbing my face. I pushed my brother who was sitting next to me and then I heard people saying: 'explosion'," one of the wounded told state television.
Emergency services had scrambled to the scene when another blast rocked Saint Mark's church in Alexandria where Coptic Pope Tawadros II had been leading a Palm Sunday service. Seventeen people including at least four police officers were killed in that attack, which the interior ministry said was caused by a suicide bomber who blew himself up when prevented from entering the church.
The ministry said Tawadros was unharmed, and a church official said he left before the explosion.
The private CBC Extra channel aired footage of the Alexandria blast, with CCTV showing what appeared to be the church entrance engulfed in flame and flying concrete moments after a guard turned away a man.
Eyewitnesses said a police officer detected the bomber before he blew himself up.
At least 78 people were wounded in Tanta and 40 in Alexandria, the health ministry said.
A UN Security Council statement condemned the bombings as "heinous" and "cowardly".
Egyptian officials denounced the violence as an attempt to sow divisions, and Francis sent his "deep condolences" to Tawadros.
IS claimed two Egyptian suicide bombers carried out both attacks and threatened further attacks in a statement published on social media.
After the bombings, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered military deployments to guard "vital and important infrastructure", his office said. State television reported that the interior minister sacked the provincial head of security and replaced him after the attack.
On March 29, the Mar Girgis church's Facebook page said a "suspicious" device had been found outside the building that security services removed.
"I heard the blast and came running. I found people torn up... some people, only half of their bodies remained," Nabil Nader, who lives in front of the Tanta church, said Sunday. Worshippers had been celebrating Palm Sunday, one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar, marking Jesus's triumphant entrance to Jerusalem.
Pope Francis, who is due in Cairo on April 28-29, offered prayers for the victims.
"Let us pray for the victims of the attack unfortunately carried out today," he said.
"May the Lord convert the heart of those who sow terror, violence and death and also the heart of those who make weapons and trade in them."
Copts, who make up about one tenth of Egypt's population of more than 92 million and who celebrate Easter next weekend, have been targeted by several attacks in recent months.
Jihadists and Islamists accuse Copts of supporting the military overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, which ushered in a deadly crackdown on his supporters. In December, a suicide bombing claimed by IS killed 29 worshippers in a Cairo church.
The group later released a video threatening Egypt's Christians with more attacks. A spate of jihadist-linked attacks in the restive Sinai Peninsula, including the murder of a Copt in the city of El Arish, led some Coptic families to flee. About 250 Christians took refuge in the Suez Canal city of Ismailiya after IS in February called for attacks on the minority.

 

Twin church bombings by IS kill 44 in Egypt

Sisi declares three-month emergency; pope prays for victims

Bombings at two Egyptian churches killed more than 44 people as they gathered to mark Palm Sunday, officials said, in one of the deadliest recent attacks on the countrys Coptic Christians, reports AFP. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the church bombings. The attacks followed a Cairo church bombing in December and came weeks before a planned visit by Catholic Pope Francis intended to show support for Egypts Christian minority. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared a three-month state of emergency in Egypt following the twin church bombings. Sisi announced the state of emergency for three months in a defiant speech at the presidential palace after a meeting of the national defence council. The first bombing at the Mar Girgis church in Tanta city north of Cairo killed 27 people, the health ministry said. I just felt fire grabbing my face. I pushed my brother who was sitting next to me and then I heard people saying: explosion, one of the wounded told state television. Emergency services had scrambled to the scene when another blast rocked Saint Marks church in Alexandria where Coptic Pope Tawadros II had been leading a Palm Sunday service. Seventeen people including at least four police officers were killed in that attack, which the interior ministry said was caused by a suicide bomber who blew himself up when prevented from entering the church. The ministry said Tawadros was unharmed, and a church official said he left before the explosion. The private CBC Extra channel aired footage of the Alexandria blast, with CCTV showing what appeared to be the church entrance engulfed in flame and flying concrete moments after a guard turned away a man. Eyewitnesses said a police officer detected the bomber before he blew himself up. At least 78 people were wounded in Tanta and 40 in Alexandria, the health ministry said. A UN Security Council statement condemned the bombings as heinous and cowardly. Egyptian officials denounced the violence as an attempt to sow divisions, and Francis sent his deep condolences to Tawadros. IS claimed two Egyptian suicide bombers carried out both attacks and threatened further attacks in a statement published on social media. After the bombings, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered military deployments to guard vital and important infrastructure, his office said. State television reported that the interior minister sacked the provincial head of security and replaced him after the attack. On March 29, the Mar Girgis churchs Facebook page said a suspicious device had been found outside the building that security services removed. I heard the blast and came running. I found people torn up... some people, only half of their bodies remained, Nabil Nader, who lives in front of the Tanta church, said Sunday. Worshippers had been celebrating Palm Sunday, one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar, marking Jesuss triumphant entrance to Jerusalem. Pope Francis, who is due in Cairo on April 28-29, offered prayers for the victims. Let us pray for the victims of the attack unfortunately carried out today, he said. May the Lord convert the heart of those who sow terror, violence and death and also the heart of those who make weapons and trade in them. Copts, who make up about one tenth of Egypts population of more than 92 million and who celebrate Easter next weekend, have been targeted by several attacks in recent months. Jihadists and Islamists accuse Copts of supporting the military overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, which ushered in a deadly crackdown on his supporters. In December, a suicide bombing claimed by IS killed 29 worshippers in a Cairo church. The group later released a video threatening Egypts Christians with more attacks. A spate of jihadist-linked attacks in the restive Sinai Peninsula, including the murder of a Copt in the city of El Arish, led some Coptic families to flee. About 250 Christians took refuge in the Suez Canal city of Ismailiya after IS in February called for attacks on the minority.