Trump denounces Egypt attack as 'merciless slaughter,' says 'bloodletting of Christians must end'

Washington: US President Donald Trump has denounced as “merciless slaughter” the attack on Coptic Christians in Egypt that left at least 28 dead, urging the nations to defeat “terrorists engaged in a war against civilizations”. Trump said that the United States “makes clear to its friends, allies, and partners that the treasured and historic Christian Communities of the Middle East must be defended and protected.” “The bloodletting of Christians must end, and all who aid their killers must be punished,” he said in a statement. [caption id=“attachment_3486109” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Donald Trump. WP[/caption] On Friday masked gunmen in military fatigues opened indiscriminate fire on a bus and other vehicles carrying a group of Coptic Christians to Anba Samuel monastery in the Minya Governorate, 250 km south of Cairo. “Terrorists are engaged in a war against civilization, and it is up to all who value life to confront and defeat this evil,” Trump said in a statement after the attack in Egypt. Furthermore, Trump added that the bloodshed of the innocent “inflicts a wound upon humanity”. “This merciless slaughter of Christians in Egypt tears at our hearts and grieves our souls. Wherever innocent blood is spilled, a wound is inflicted upon humanity,” he said. Trump, who met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at a summit in Riyadh last week, called for a greater resolve to bring nations together to “crush” the common enemy —“the evil organisations of terror”. “But this attack also steels our resolve to bring nations together for the righteous purpose of crushing the evil organisations of terror, and exposing their depraved, twisted, and thuggish ideology,” he said. “America stands with President Al Sisi and all the Egyptian people today, and always, as we fight to defeat this common enemy,” he added. Trump said that America will take every step to protect its people as he made an appeal to protect all faiths and religions. “Civilisation is at a precipice — and whether we climb or fall will be decided by our ability to join together to protect all faiths, all religions, and all innocent life. No matter what, America will do what it must to protect its people,” he said.