Sisi orders cabinet to help resettle Sinai Christians fleeing IS

CAIRO: President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday ordered the government to take all necessary measures to help resettle Christians who have fled Egypt’s Northern Sinai after Islamic State killed several members of the community.

Hundreds of Christian families and students have fled to Ismailia, north Sinai’s neighbouring province, after seven Christians were killed in Arish between Janv 30 and Thursday.

Islamic State, which is waging an insurgency there, claimed responsibility for the killings, five of which were shootings.

One man was beheaded and another set on fire.

Sisi held a meeting on Saturday with the prime minister, ministers of defence, interior, intelligence among other officials to discuss "the importance to resist all attempts to sabotage stability and security in Egypt," the statement said.

Sisi had also "directed the government to take all necessary measures to facilitate settlements for citizens in their set resettled areas.

"Orthodox Copts, who comprise about 10 percent of Egypt’s 90 million people, are the Middle East’s largest Christian community.