Macron Visits Cairo Church That Was Target of 2016 Suicide Bombing

Published January 30th, 2019 - 04:00 GMT
French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Coptic Church headquarters in Cairo on January 29, 2019. 
Ludovic MARIN / AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Coptic Church headquarters in Cairo on January 29, 2019. Ludovic MARIN / AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday visited a church that was the target of a suicide bombing in Cairo in 2016.

At least 29 people were killed when a bomber blew himself inside the Botroseya Church, which is adjacent to Cairo's St Mark's Cathedral, the capital's largest church and seat of the Coptic papacy, in 2016, for which the Daesh terrorist group claimed responsibility.

Macron was accompanied by Coptic Pope Tawadros II during the visit, according to a statement issued by the Cathedral Church.

A footage aired by the church showed the French leader while checking the aftermath of the attack on the church.

Macron is scheduled to conclude a three-day visit to Egypt on Tuesday, during which he held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.

 

On Monday, Macron criticized Egypt's human rights record, while al-Sisi insisted that his authorities were respecting human rights, saying his country was facing a violent insurgency.

 

This article has been adapted from its original source.

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