Egypt: 19 terrorists linked to Coptic Christian attack killed

Egypt's Interior Ministry on Sunday confirmed that as many as 19 terrorists, linked to the recent attack on a bus carrying a group of Coptic Christians in Cairo, were killed by the country's security forces.

The ministry further stated that the security forces had mounted an assault on the terrorist's hideout on Friday, Sputnik reported.

At least seven people were killed and 16 others were wounded after gunmen attacked the bus on Friday.

The incident occurred when the bus was heading towards the Saint Samuel Coptic Christian monastery close to Minya city, located about 270 km south of the Cairo when the gunmen opened fire indiscriminately at the passengers.

The Islamic State (ISIS) had claimed responsibility for the attack through its propaganda website, Amaq news agency.

The ISIS affiliate in Egypt has targeted the minority Egyptian Christians in church bombings and shootings repeatedly in the last few years, threatening further attacks against them.

The dreaded terror group also claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings of two Coptic Christian churches in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria in April last year, which killed 45 people.

Coptic Christians make up 10 per cent of Egypt's total population.