Egypt launches airstrikes in Libya after attack on Coptic Christians

The Egyptian Army has launched intensive airstrikes on terrorist groups in Libya in response to the attack by suspected Islamic State militants that killed 28 Christians south of Cairo, the army spokesperson said. 

Announcing the retaliatory attack, the Egyptian Army spokesperson Tamer el-Refae posted a clip, which also included footages of Army aircraft taking off, on his official Facebook and Twitter pages yesterday.

The army operation is still going on, he said in a statement.

The airstrikes came after the army gathered information that confirms the terrorists' participation



in the attack. 

Masked gunmen yesterday attacked a bus and other vehicles taking a group of Coptic Christians to Anba Samuel monastery in the Minya Governorate, 250km south of Cairo, the Ministry of Interior said.

The gunmen were riding in three 4x4 vehicles, it said.

Reports said there had been between eight and 10 attackers who were wearing military uniforms.

Prior to the army's announcement, Egypt's President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi has vowed to strike any training camp in Egypt or outside, where terrorists are trained on attacks against Egypt.