Egypt's Ministry of Interior on Thursday (June 22nd) said police have killed seven militants involved in recent attacks on churches and Christians during raids on training camps in Giza and Upper Egypt, Ahram Online reported.
The raids, which started at dawn, initially targeted camps in the Western Desert in Assiut, where militants were training to execute further attacks, the ministry said.
The militants were killed after a shootout with police forces, who seized large amounts of guns, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The ministry said it is working to identify the slain militants.
The "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for a number of recent attacks on Egypt’s Christians.
Meanwhile, in a decree issued in Thursday’s official gazette, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi extended a state of emergency declared after twin church bombings claimed by ISIS in April, AFP reported.
The renewed three-month state of emergency will start on July 10th, according to the decree.
