Online
\nCAIRO
\nA policeman has been killed trying to defuse a bomb outside a Coptic Christian church in Egypt, security officials say.
\nMustafa Abid was reportedly a specialist in mine clearance. The explosion injured two other officers and an onlooker.
\nThe device was one of two hidden in a bag on a roof by the church in Nasr City outside Cairo.
\nIt comes two days before Egypt\u2019s Christians celebrate their Christmas. About 10% of Egypt\u2019s population are Copts, and many say the state discriminates against them and does not offer them enough protection.
\nEgyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi – who declares himself a defender of Christians against extremists – is due to open Cathedral of Nativity on Sunday outside the capital, the day before Coptic Christmas on 7 January.
\nNo group has of yet claimed the attack, but Islamist insurgents have regularly attacked Copts in the past. More than 100 have been killed in attacks by jihadists since 2016.
\nLast October, 17 people were sentenced to death for their involvement in bomb attacks on Coptic churches. And the following month, police killed 19 Islamist militants who were accused of attacking Christians in a shoot-out.
\nThe Coptic Orthodox Church is the main Christian Church in Egypt. While most Copts live there, the church has about a million members outside the country.
\nCopts believe that their faith dates back to about AD50, when the Apostle Mark is said to have visited Egypt. The head of the church is called the Pope, and is considered to be the successor of Saint Mark.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Online CAIRO A policeman has been killed trying to defuse a bomb outside a Coptic Christian church in Egypt, security officials say. Mustafa Abid was reportedly a specialist in mine clearance. The explosion injured two other officers and an onlooker. The device was one of two hidden in a bag on a roof by the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n