Militants in military-style
uniforms opened fire on a bus carrying Coptic Christians in central Egypt on
Friday, killing at least 28 people in the latest bloodshed targeting the
country’s Christian minority, officials said.
There was no immediate claim of
responsibility. But the Islamic State has claimed links to previous attacks
against Egypt’s Christians, who make up about 10 percent of the population.
The attack also took place on
the eve of Islam’s holy month of Ramadan, a time when some militant factions
have stepped up attacks in the past.
The ambush — in the Minya
region about 150 miles south of Cairo — underscored the increasing pressures on
Egyptian forces as Islamist militants gain greater footholds around the country,
undercutting Egypt’s vital tourism industry and forcing greater security for
Coptic Christians and others targeted by militants.
The Minya governor, Maj. Gen.
Essam el-Bedewey, said at least 28 people were killed and at least 25 were
wounded when the attackers fired on the bus heading for the St. Samuel
Monastery, one of several pilgrimage sites in an area that is home to a large
portion of Egypt’s Christian population.
The Reuters news agency and
other reports said children were among the dead.