- Title: Church bombing victims' funerals held in Tanta
- Date: 9th April 2017
- Summary: CLOCK STOPPED AT TIME OF BOMB BLAST (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, HALA MOSTOKLY, SAYING: "Today we said goodbye to pure youths. I tell them, may your souls rest in peace, but sadness fills my heart." VARIOUS OF MOURNERS REACTING TO AMBULANCES ARRIVING TO SCENE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) A TANTA PRIEST, TAWFIK KOBEISH, SAYING: "Believe me, it's a miserable and painful feeling to go through this cruel experience. We were not expecting people who live with us in the same country, people whom we've shared love and friendships with, and whom we're familiar with, to do these things." AMBULANCE ARRIVES VARIOUS OF COFFIN BEING CARRIED OUT OF AMBULANCE VARIOUS OF BLOOD STAINS ON CHURCH WALL RELATIVES OF VICTIMS STAND INSIDE CHURCH CHURCH EXTERIOR
- Embargoed: 24th April 2017 00:50
- Keywords: Egypt Coptic Church explosions attack bombing funerals Tanta
- Location: TANTA, EGYPT
- City: TANTA, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Bombing (non-military),Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0036BOGJT3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Egyptians in the Nile Delta city of Tanta held funerals for a number of victims of Sunday's (April 9) bombings targeting Egyptian churches that left at least 44 people dead in Tanta and Alexandria.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, which also injured more than 100 people and occurred a week before Coptic Easter, with Pope Francis scheduled to visit Egypt later this month.
The assault is the latest on a religious minority increasingly targeted by Islamist militants, and a challenge to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has pledged to protect them as part of his campaign against extremism.
The first bombing, in Tanta, a Nile Delta city about 100 km (60 miles) north of Cairo, tore through the inside of St. George Church during its Palm Sunday service, killing at least 27 people and injuring at least 78, the Ministry of Health said.
The second, a few hours later in Alexandria, hit Saint Mark's Cathedral, the historic seat of the Coptic Pope, killing 17 people, including three police officers, and injuring 48, the ministry added.
Coptic Pope Tawadros had been leading the mass at Saint Mark's Cathedral at the time of the explosion but was not injured, the Interior Ministry said.
Islamic State said two of its fighters wearing suicide vests carried out the attacks, and it warned of more to come.
Islamic State's branch in Egypt has stepped up attacks and threats against Christians, who comprise about 10 percent of Egypt's 90 million people and are the biggest Christian minority in the Middle East. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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