The Church in Egypt has lauded the efforts of Muslims to assist Christians fleeing Sinai. Spokesman Fr Rafiq Greiche said: “Ordinary Muslims are kind and try to help however they can. They’re often first on the scene, rescuing the injured.”
Fr Greiche spoke as so-called Islamic State (ISIS), which is behind the drive to oust Sinai’s Christian community, upped its terror campaign in that region. Families escaping the region have related how the group has begun to demand that Christians convert or pay a tax to continue living there, a tactic employed by the group previously in both Syria and Iraq.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Minister of Awqaf (Minister of Endowments), Prof. Mohamed Mokthtar Gomaa has stated that the current attacks on Christians in the country are “attacks on all of us” and defending Christians and their places of worship “is part of the doctrine of the Muslim faith”.
Pointing out that the growing violence in Sinai is not limited to Christian, Prof. Gomaa was critical of media coverage which suggested that events in Sinai were anti-Christian persecution fomented by the wider Muslim population.
