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Sultanate condemns terror attacks in Egypt

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MUSCAT/CAIRO: The Sultanate condemned the two terrorist attacks that hit Mar Gerges Church in Tanta City of Egypt and Saint Mark’s Church in Al Raml Station in Alexandria, Egypt.


In a statement issued on Sunday by the Foreign Ministry, the Sultanate expressed its full solidarity with the government and people of the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt against the two heinous crimes that targeted innocent people during their worship.


The Sultanate expressed sincere condolences and grief for the brotherly people of Egypt and the families of the bereaved, and wished speedy recovery for the injured.


Earlier, bombings at two Coptic churches in separate Egyptian cities on Palm Sunday left at least 43 people dead, the highest death toll ever seen by the country’s minority in a single day.


The IS group claimed responsibility for both the bombings.


The first bomb took place in the Mar Gerges Church in the Nile Deltacity of Tanta, north of Cairo, leaving 25 dead and 78 injured, the Health Ministry said.


A second bomb went off outside St Mark’s Church in the coastal city of Alexandria, where Coptic Pope Tawadros II was leading a mass. Security sources said the pope was not harmed. Sixteen people, including four policemen, were killed and 41 injured in that blast, the Health Ministry said.


The four policemen died while attempting to prevent a bomber from storming the church, the Interior Ministry said. The bomber blew himself up outside, killing the policemen and other civilians.


Tawadros II condemned the attacks as “sinful.”


State television quoted the Coptic leader as saying: “These sinful acts will not undermine the unity of Egyptians.”


The attacks took place while Egypt’s Coptic Christians were celebrating Palm Sunday, which marks the start of the Holy Week leading to Easter, which falls on April 16 this year.


Footage on state television showed a blood-stained floor and broken pews inside the Mar Gerges Church, the biggest in Tanta.


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