Egypt extends state of emergency after rise on terror attacks on Christians

Cairo: Egypt’s parliament has approved a presidential decision to extend the state of emergency nationwide for another three months. [caption id=“attachment_3777203” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Reuters [/caption] President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi initially imposed the state of emergency after suicide bombings struck two Coptic Christian churches on Palm Sunday in an attack that was claimed by the Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State group. State-run MENA news quoted Parliament speaker Ali Abdel Aal on Tuesday as saying that the persistence of danger is the reason for the extension. The extension starts on 10 July evening. It was also approved by Cabinet last month. Since December, attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt have claimed the lives of more than 100 people and wounded scores. Sisi imposed the first three-month nationwide state of emergency in April following twin 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 28 worshippers.