7 killed in Egypt as bus carrying Christian pilgrims is ambushed

Gunmen killed at least seven Christians in an attack on a bus near a Coptic monastery in Egypt on Friday, authorities said, in the most serious assault on the minority in more than a year.

The attackers struck close to Saint Samuel the Confessor monastery in Minya, 260 kilometres up the Nile Riverfrom Cairo, Archbishop of MinyaAnba Makarious told Reuters.

The attack took place close to where gunmen killed 28 Christians in a similar assault in May 2017.

"Terrorists opened fire on a tour bus from Sohag province, heading back from themonastery," the archbishop said. He had earlier said the bus was approaching the monastery.

He said seven people were killed and 14 were wounded. State news agency MENA, citing a security source, put the number of injured at seven and said the bus was transporting Christians.

Local residents said the bus was part of a convoy.

The local affiliate of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claimed responsibility, the group's Amaqnews agency said on Friday, without providing evidence of its involvement.

Egypt's president promises justice

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said he mourned the victims as martyrs, and vowed to push ahead with a campaign against militants.

"I assert our determination to fight dark terrorism and to pursue the perpetrators," he said on Twitter.

Outside Egypt, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canadian ambassador to Egypt Jess Dutton and the archbishop of Britain's Coptic Orthodox Church were among those condemning the attack and expressing condolences to Egyptians.

Egypt has been waging a major military and security campaign, mainly in Sinaibut also on the border with Libya,to crush militants behind a wave of attacks on security forces and civilians, including Christians.

Egypt says fighting Islamist militants is a priority to restore security after the years of turmoil that followed the Arab Springprotests in 2011.

Egypt's public prosecutor ordered an investigation and said hehad sent a team of investigators to the location and to nearby hospitals.