Egypt declares state of emergency after Palm Sunday church bombings kill 44

Egypt President Sisi declares a state of emergency following two deadly bombings on Coptic churches.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has declared a three-month state of emergency after suicide bombers targeted two Coptic churches, killing at least 44 people and injuring dozens more in the run-up to Easter.

Key points:

• Under emergency law constitutional rights are suspended, police are given more power
• The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks
• Attacks on Coptic churches in Muslim-majority Egypt occur regularly

At least 27 people were killed and 78 injured in the first blast at a Coptic church in the Nile Delta town of Tanta, north of Cairo, Egypt’s Health Ministry said.

The second blast, in front of a Christian church in Alexandria on the country’s north coast, killed 17 and injured at least 48 others, the ministry added.

It said the Alexandria explosion was caused by a suicide bomber who tried to storm the entrance before being stopped by police.

Source: Egypt declares three-month state of emergency after Palm Sunday church bombings kill 44 – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)