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(CAIRO) – The Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt said gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Christian pilgrims to an isolated desert monastery, killing at least seven people.
The church spokesman, Halim Bouls, said the death toll during Friday's attack south of the capital, Cairo, was likely to increase.
Security officials said at least 12 people were wounded in the attack, which bore the marks of Islamist militants. These officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to inform the media.
Friday's attack is the second to target pilgrims traveling to the Monastery of St. Samuel the Confessor in the province of Minya in as many years. An attack in May 2017 killed at least 28 people.
Christians in Egypt represent about 10 percent of the country's 100 million people.
