国际英语资讯:Egypts Sisi attends Coptic Christmas celebration amid tight security_时事

国际英语资讯:Egypts Sisi attends Coptic Christmas celebration amid tight security

Earlier in April 2017, the IS-claimed bombings at two churches in northern provinces of Gharbiya and Alexandria killed at least 47 and wounded over 120.

A similar suicide bombing at a Cairo church in December 2016 killed at least 29 worshippers, mostly women and children.

Sisi told the attendees at the cathedral that "the people of evil" will not be able to harm Egypt as long as the Egyptians are united.

In the meantime, tens of thousands of soldiers and policemen were deployed across the country on Saturday to secure the Christians and their churches on the eve of Orthodox Christmas.

"The security patrols and joint combat groups have also intensified their deployment at the streets and main squares to deal with any law-breaking attempts and provide security and safety to all citizens nationwide," the Egyptian military spokesman said in a statement Saturday.

The beefed up nationwide security comes as a precaution against any possible IS anti-Copt attacks.

Egypt has been suffering terrorist activities that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military removal of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to the mass protests against his one-year rule and his now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Terrorist attacks were centered in restive North Sinai province northeastern Cairo and targeted security forces before they gradually extended to other provinces and started to target dozens of the Coptic minority with church bombings.