Egypt forces hit jihadists after attack on Copts – Sisi

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi Egyptian forces hit a jihadist training camp Friday in retaliation for an attack on a bus carrying Coptic Christians that killed at least 28 people, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said. In a televised address to Egypt’s people, the former army chief said: “Before we spoke to you today, we launched a strike against one of the camps” where jihadists train. “Egypt will not hesitate in striking terror camps anywhere, either inside (the country) or outside it,” Sisi added. The Egyptian president did not say where his forces struck on Friday. In February 2015, Egypt carried out air strikes against the Islamic State group in neighbouring Libya after a graphic video was released showing the beheading there of 21 Christians, almost all Egyptian Copts. And earlier this month Egypt’s air force destroyed 15 vehicles carrying weapons and ammunition after they illegally entered the country from Libya. “We will protect our people and Egypt’s national security from evil,” Sisi said in his televised address. He also addressed US President Donald Trump, saying: “You have said that your priority is to confront terrorism, and I trust you are capable of doing that.” Earlier on Friday, masked men in three pick-up trucks attacked a bus carrying Coptic Christians on a visit to a monastery south of the Egyptian capital, killing at least 28 people, including children. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack on Copts after the ISIS jihadist group bombed three churches in December and April, killing dozens of Christians.