Nov. 4 (UPI) — Egypt said Sunday it had killed 19 militants in retaliation for an attack on Coptic Christians two days earlier.
The Interior Ministry said Egypt’s security forces tracked the suspects in Friday’s attack to a hideout in the desert of the Minya Province and returned fire from the militant group, killing 19, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The ministry released images from the scene, but didn’t clarify the number that surrendered or survived nor state whether the government forces experienced any casualties.
At least seven people were killed and 19 more were injured on Friday when militants opened fire on three buses carrying Coptic Christian pilgrims.
The Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Coptic Christians are a religious minority in Egypt, making up about 10 percent of the country’s population.
Coptic Orthodox officials said six of the seven pilgrims killed in the attack came from the same extended family.
Egypt’s State Information Service called the attack “a desperate attempt” that exposed the terror group’s weakness.
