The Freeman

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,60$,/,$ (*<37 — Egyptian Coptic Christians ÀHG WKH 6LQDL IRU D VHFRQG GD\ \HVWHUGD\ IROORZLQJ D VWULQJ RI DSSDUHQW MLKDGLVW DWWDFNV DV President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi instructed his government to help shelter them.

$ FKXUFK RI¿FLDO VDLG PRUH IDPLOLHV DUULYHG LQ WKH 6XH] FDQDO FLW\ RI ,VPDLOL\D D GD\ DIWHU DERXW &RSWV sought shelter in one church alone there.

Three Christians have been shot dead over the past ZHHN LQ WKH FLW\ RI (O $ULVK LQ WKH 6LQDL 3HQLQVXOD ZKHUH Islamic State group jihadists are waging an insurgency.

Christians have been DWWDFNHG EHIRUH LQ WKH 6LQDL but there has been an uptick since IS released a video on 6XQGD\ FDOOLQJ IRU YLROHQFH against the minority.

The video included an anti-Christian speech by a militant who later detonated an explosive vest in a Coptic church in Cairo on December NLOOLQJ SHRSOH 2Q 6DWXUGD\ emphasised at a meeting with ministers "the importance RI FRQIURQWLQ­J DOO HIIRUWV WR disturb security and stability LQ (J\SW D SUHVLGHQF\ statement said.

He ordered the authoritie­s to help provide DFFRPPRGDW­LRQ IRU WKH &RSWV ÀHHLQJ 6LQDL WKH VWDWHPHQW added.

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