At least seven people have been killed in an assault on a bus heading towards a monastery in Egypt, according to a Coptic Church official.
The incident took place on Friday as the vehicle was heading towards the Saint Samuel Coptic Christian monastery near Minya, a city about 270-kilometres south of Cairo.
Coptic Church spokesman, Father Boulos Halim confirmed by phone to NBC News that seven were killed and an unconfirmed number of people injured.
He said “terrorists attacked their bus on the way to (St) Samwil Monastery in Minya. The terrorists attacked them and fled”.
He confirmed the attack occurred near the same location as a similar deadly bus attack on Coptic pilgrims in May 2017, that killed dozens.
The death toll is likely to rise.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.