Two Coptic girls kidnapped by suspected Muslims

 
Amira Morgan

Ingy Basta
Photos from AINA
Two Coptic Christian girls were abducted in the city of Alexandria, Egypt in recent weeks, according to a July 30 report from Assyrian International News Agency and Egypt4Christ.

17-year-old Amira Morgan was abducted by Muslims while on her way to work at a plastics factory near her home in Alexandria on July 18. At approximately 10:00 a.m., Amira's mother, Samira Markos received a call from someone who introduced himself as Sheikh Mohammed--a very common name in the area. The caller told Samira that her daughter was fine and that she was converting to Islam. When she began to cry and beg for Amira's return, the caller said that she would see Amira again once the girl had converted to Islam and then ended the call. A few hours later Samira went to the local mosque to enquire about the man who called her. There she was told that if she reported her daughter's abduction to the police, her nine-year-old son would be slaughtered in front of her. She was also told that Amira was going to convert to Islam the following Friday. Fearing for her and her son's safety, Samira and her son then fled the area.

In another incident, 18-year-old Ingy Basta, who is engaged to a Coptic Christian man, went missing while on her way to repair her cell phone at the Nozha Airport on July 22. Her father reported the case the next day but she has not yet been found.

Pray that Amira and Ingy will remain steadfast in faith and be freed by their captors. Pray that their loved ones will draw near the Lord for encouragement and strength.

To learn more about Christians suffering for their faith in Egypt, click here.

  • Country Information

    Population
    109,546,720 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Egyptian (99.7), other (0.3)

    Religion (%)
    Islam (90), Christianity (10)

    Leader
    President Abdelfattah Said El-Sisi (2014)

    Government type
    Presidential republic

    Legal system
    Mixed legal system based on Napoleonic civil and penal law, Islamic religious law, and vestiges of colonial-era laws

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Egypt

    Pray on behalf of those who are facing economic and social challenges because of their Christian faith. Ask the Lord to provide for their spiritual and practical needs – further strengthening and emboldening them so they can effectively share the message of the Gospel with others in their communities. May the hearts of those who hear it be open and receptive to the wonderful truths contained in God’s Word.

Egypt News

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    Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq
    Photo: CSW

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    Originally from Yemen, Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo was forced to flee to Egypt in 2014 after being subjected to violent attacks because of his conversion to Christianity. Then, in 2021, Abdulbaqi was arrested by Egyptian officials following an interview he did for a Christian television program addressing the topic of persecution in Yemen. Additionally, he was identified as a member of a Facebook group for those who had converted from Islam to Christianity. Nour Gerges, an Egyptian Coptic believer who also participated in the same Facebook group, was arrested at the same time.

  • Three Christians Hospitalized After Stabbing
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    Domes of a Coptic Church building in Egypt.
    Photo: Flickr / Andrew A. Shenouda (cc)

    Three Christian men were hospitalized after being brutally attacked on November 5th in Ashruba, a village located within the Minya province of Upper Egypt. This is only the latest incident to occur amid a recent surge of sectarian violence throughout the region.

  • Christian Homes and Businesses Burned
    A water truck is working to douse a fire.
      

    Late into the evening of April 23rd, Islamic militants set fire to several homes and shops owned by Coptic Orthodox Christians in the village of Al-Fawakher, which is located in Egypt's southern Minya province. Although the attackers attempted to prevent the occupants from leaving their burning homes, thankfully there were no reported fatalities.