23 die in attack on a bus carrying Coptic Christians in Egypt

There have been number of attacks on Copts in country in recent months claimed by IS militants

Gunmen on Friday opened fire on a bus carrying Coptic Christians in southern Egypt, killing at least 23 people.

The bus was heading to Anba Samuel monastery in the Minya Governorate, 250km south of Cairo.

Twenty-three Christians were killed and twenty five others injured, according to the Ministry of Health.

Security forces were searching for the attackers.

The ambulances rushed to the place of the incident to transfer injured to hospitals.

There have been a number of attacks on Copts in the country in recent months claimed by Islamic State (IS) militants.

Two suicide bombings targeting churches in Tanta and Alexandria on April 9 left at least 46 people dead.