Christians tortured and killed in Egypt

“God gave the orders to kill every infidel”

A CFI coworker in Egypt reports that two Christians, a father and son, were killed on February 22, 2017. Their bodies were found dumped on a roadside in Arish, Egypt.

Incidents such as this have become all too common in Egypt since the Muslim Brotherhood became a prevalent influence in the country.

Saad Hana, 65, was shot dead while his son Medhat, 45, was abducted, tortured, and burned alive. Their bodies were found together in a roadside ditch in the North Sinai region.

According to sources who must remain anonymous, Hana’s wife tried to call for help when Muslim militants stormed their house and abducted the father and son. Afterward, the militants burned down the house.

Attacks increasing

Attacks against minority Christians is on the increase in the North Sinai region of Egypt. Earlier this week, a Christian teacher was shot dead by two Muslims on his way to school. A Christian merchant and priest were also brutally killed by Muslim attackers.

The Islamic State (IS) posted a video Monday warning Egyptian Christians, and promising that Egypt will soon be “liberated” from Christians. A voice on the video says that “Egyptian Christians are their favorite prey.” The video glorifies a suicide bomber who killed nearly 30 people, mostly women & children, inside a packed Cairo church this past December. That attack marked a turn in the Sunni militant group’s strategy as Christians became its top targets.

“God gave the orders to kill every infidel,” one of the militants carrying an AK-47 assault rifle says in the video.

Egypt’s unarmed, minority Coptic Christians, who make up around 10 percent of the population, have always been a favorite target of Islamic forces. Attacks on churches by Muslim mobs increased since the 2013 overthrow of an Islamic president. Christians overwhelmingly supported the army chief-turned-president, Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, and extremists have used such support as a pretext to increase attacks against them.

What you can do

Christian Freedom International supports persecuted Christians in Egypt, and has a child sponsorship program for minority persecuted Christian children. For more information on how to sponsor a Christian child in Egypt, click here.

Urgent update from Cairo

CAIRO, EGYPT — Kamal Youssef, a 40-year old Christian, earned a meagre living as a plumber in Arish, North Sinai District of Egypt. His small, family-run business fixed leaky pipes, installed showers and repaired commodes. As the sole breadwinner for his family and father of five children, he hoped his sons would one day learn the trade and follow in his steps.

All that changed on February 23, when armed Muslims broke into his home and shot him in the neck in front of his wife and children. Soon after, Kamal bleed to death and died on the floor of their kitchen. After killing him, the Muslim men set fire to his house, burning it down.

This is the seventh such killing targeting minority Christians in northern Sinai in a month, prompting some Christian families to flee from the area for fear of being target next.

While no organized group has claimed responsibility for this attack, earlier this week Egypt’s Islamic State, which is based in the Sinai Peninsula, vowed in a video to step up attacks against persecuted, minority Christians.

A CFI coworker in Cairo (his identity must remain anonymous for his own security) is pleading for an end to the violence against minority Christians in Egypt. He said, “Please pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in Arish, North Sinai because the situation has become so dangerous for them there. They have been targeted by IS. Seven Coptic Christians were killed in Arish this month. Please, pray!”