Muslims Killing Christians and Muslims
By Shayne Heffernan
Hard Line Muslims are killing Christians and Muslims across the Middle East.
Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) has claimed responsibility for two Egyptian church bombings that killed 44 people, mainly Coptic Christians, Reuters reports, citing Amaq news agency, which is affiliated with the terrorist group.
The terrorist organization said that an IS-affiliated group was responsible for the attacks in Tanta and Alexandria.
First, there was a huge blast in the St. George Church in Tanta, with at least 27 killed and another 78 wounded in the explosion, according to the Egyptian Health Ministry.
The bomb was reportedly planted beforehand in the prayer hall.
The second attack came just hours later, rocking the Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Alexandria, leaving 17 people dead, including three officers, and 40 injured.
Both explosions took place on Palm Sunday, which celebrates the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. The attacks were reportedly carried out by two suicide bombers.
In response, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued an order to deploy military forces across the country on Sunday, his office said in a statement, according to Reuters.
Muslims
At least 31 people were killed and 40 wounded in attacks carried out by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in the city of Tikrit, central Iraq, Reuters reported, citing Iraqi security sources and medics.
The attackers were wearing police uniforms and used a police vehicle to enter the city, Police Colonel Khalid Mahmoud told Reuters, adding that there were around 10 militants, including two suicide bombers.
At least 31 bodies were brought in, among them 14 police officers, a doctor at the city’s main hospital, Nawfal Mustafa, said.
Tikrit was captured by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) militants in June 2014. In September 2015, IS blew up the Green Church, one of the oldest Christian churches in the Middle East, as well as Al Arbain, a shrine and historical mosque, which were both located in the city center.