ISIS has claimed responsibility for the terrorist bombings at two Coptic churches in Egypt on Palm Sunday, where an explosive device was planted in St George’s Church in Tanta city, while, in Alexandria, a suicide bomber was caught just outside St Mark’s Cathedral.
The recurrent terrorist attacks on Egyptian Christians has led the world to question the real reason behind ISIS hatred for Christians. For those of you who don’t know, Egyptian Christians make up around 10% of the country’s population, and they are becoming an increasingly targeted sector ever since ousted President Hosni Mubarak’s regime ended.
In an issue of their English language publication, Dabiq, ISIS made their position on Christians clear when they addressed Westerners and said “The fact is, even if you were to stop bombing us, imprisoning us, torturing us, vilifying us, and usurping our lands, we would continue to hate you because our primary reason for hating you will not cease to exist until you embrace Islam,” showing that ISIS are not tolerant of anyone who doesn’t share their beliefs and that they are willing to take any extra necessary measures to evict these non-believers.
There is also another theory that argues that ISIS are targeting Egyptian Christians in desperate hopes of inflaming sectarian strife that could eventually lead to Egypt’s unraveling. ISIS have taken a radical step which tries to propose that Christians to Egypt are what Shitees are to Iraq, especially since they have claimed that Christians can be killed indiscriminately and for absolutely no reason other than the fact that they believe in another religion.
All this led us to question the unity of Egypt. Whatever ulterior motives ISIS might have, the important question remains whether or not Egypt is united enough to endure these rough times?
References:
“In Their Own Words: Why ISIS Hates the West.” Centre on Religion & Geopolitics. Religionandgeopolitics, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.
Awad, Mokhtar. “Why ISIS Declared War on Egypt’s Christians.” The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 09 Apr. 2017. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.
