LATEST
TRAVEL
ADVISORY
TERRORISM RISK
TRAVEL ADVISO RY • 10 APRIL 2017
Terror Attacks on Coptic
Churches in Egypt
KEY POINTS
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At least 49 people have been killed after twin blasts targeting Coptic Christians in Egypt.
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The attacks occurred on Palm Sunday, a Christian festival.
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A state of emergency has been declared in response to the attacks.
SITUATIONAL SUMMARY
Terrorism: On 09 April 2017, twin blasts occurred in Egypt targeting Coptic Christians with at least 49 confirmed dead. The first
attack occurred inside St George’s Church in Tanta, where 27 people were killed and a further 78 were injured; a bomb had been
planted under a seat in the main prayer hall. A suicide bomber subsequently blew himself up outside St Mark’s Church in
Alexandria, killing 22. The attacker had been stopped by police while attempting to enter the church. The Coptic Church’s pope,
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TRAVEL ADVISO RY • 10 APRIL 2017
Tawadros II, was present in St Mark’s Church at the time of the attacks, but remained unharmed.
In response to the attacks, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has declared a state of emergency and three days of national mourning.
Islamic State have claimed responsibility for both attacks. Israel has closed the Sinai border in response to the attacks and strongly
advised travellers against heading to the Sinai region (a common tradition before Passover).
SOLACE GLOBAL COMMENT
This attack seemed specifically planned to cause as much loss of life as possible. Militants would have been aware that churches
were likely to be busy as it was the Christian festival of Palm Sunday, where Christians commemorate Jesus’s entrance into
Jerusalem. Further attacks around Christian or other religious festivals remain a distinct possibility. Despite the high terror threat in
Egypt, the most insecure regions are Sinai and towards the country’s border with Libya. The attacks also show that Islamic State
has both the ability and the inclination to carry out large-scale atrocities in cities which are generally considered to be secure. It is
possible that Coptic Christians were targeted as they are considered a softer target; churches are viewed as easier to attack than
military installations. These attacks may represent a refocussing by Islamic State in Egypt. If this is the case, then more large-scale
attacks are a strong possibility.
The terror group have also claimed that attackers were Egyptian nationals but this has not been confirmed by Egyptian authori ties.
The individuals had also reportedly travelled to Syria. If this is the case, it demonstrates Islamic State’s ability to recruit in the
country. Islamic State has called for further attacks.
Coptic Christians
The Coptic Church continues to face widespread discrimination, especially so since the fall of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, with the state
often accused of turning a blind eye to the treatment of Copts. Fully named the ‘Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria’, the church
has the largest Christian congregation in the Middle East and North Africa. In Egypt, Coptic Christians constitute around 10 per cent
of the population of about 95 million. Beliefs differ from the Catholic faith and are most closely linked with the Greek Orthodox
Church. Large-scale attacks on Copts are not uncommon. A Coptic cathedral in central Cairo was bombed in December 2016, in
which 25 people were killed. 28 Coptic protesters were crushed to death by military tanks during the revolution in 2011; stat e media
blamed the protesters for attacking the military. Just a week before the most recent attacks, a bomb was discovered and diffused
near the Tanta Church.
State of Emergency
A countrywide state of emergency has now been approved by the Egyptian Cabinet and is to be put to Parliament, it will need to be
approved within seven days to remain in place. It is set to last for an initial three-month period. However, as has been seen in
France and Turkey, states of emergency are prone to be extended multiple times. It is the first state of emergency since the
overthrow of President Morsi in 2013. The state of emergency also serves a political purpose for Sisi. Coptic Christians have
traditionally been vocal supporters of his leadership but they may now fear that he cannot protect them against sectarian violence.
The full extent of the state of emergency is unclear. However, in the aftermath of the attacks, Sisi deployed troops to protect
churches and publicly called for the military to protect ‘vital infrastructure’. A state of emergency generally involves the expansion of
police powers of arrest, surveillance, and seizure and can limit freedoms of movement, speech, and assembly. Increased securi ty
checks should be expected at seaports and airports. The military will likely be a more obvious presence in urban areas, and
travellers can expect increased checkpoints both within and on the outskirts of cities such as Cairo and Alexandria. There is also
likely to be a crackdown on protests, both planned and spontaneous. Sisi already maintains immense pow ers, with many of his
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security policies criticised by human rights groups. Human Rights Watch have accused Sisi of eliminating displays of public
discontent and routinely imprisoning political opponents, often in ‘appalling conditions’. Security forces have also been accused of
torturing regime opponents.
SECURITY ADVICE
HIGH TERRORISM RISK
These attacks should act as a reminder to travellers of the threat of terrorism not only in underpopulated areas of Egypt but also
within major urban centres. It is unclear if this is a changing trend and those travelling to, or deployed in, the country should
consider their journey management plans and intelligence feeds, especially in the short- to medium-term.
Due to the expected extra security measures, travellers are advised to allow for more time if travelling to, thorough, or from
Egypt. Daily travel in the country will likely become more arduous, with longer journey times expected. If greeted by securit y
patrols or road blocks, travellers are advised to adhere to the instructions of security officers quickly, to avoid time spent
stationary; checkpoints have also been routinely targeted by militants in Egypt’s Sinai region.
Solace Global would advise clients to employ enhanced security measures when visiting Egypt – airport meet and greet,
extensive journey management planning, and a security driver for the length of a visit should be minimum security precautions.
Travellers may also wish to employ executive protection. Travellers should also employ travel-tracking technology with an
intelligence feed so they are kept abreast of security developments.
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