It is some two weeks now that the Copts of the North Sinai town of al-Arish have
had to flee their homes from the face of Islamists terrorists who threatened to kill
them, and actually killed seven Copts in the space of three weeks.
[https://en.wataninet.com/coptic-affairs- coptic-affairs/coptic- affairs/coptic-exodus-
from-al- arish/19144/] Most of the internally displaced families landed at the Suez
Canal town of Ismailiya which received them with open arms, offering them
shelter, food, education and work. Other families headed for Port Said, Assiut and
Beni Sweif.
This morning, the Arish neighbours of Malak Adly and Adly Soliman who are now
settled in Arish, notified them that their homes had been broke into and looted. Mr
Soliman filed a complaint with Ismailiya police. Another Arishi, Maher Abul-
Kheir was informed by a neighbour that a window in his house had been smashed
but nothing was stolen,.
The Arish Copts are concerned that, in the absence of police protection, their
houses and belongings would be plundered, especially in the neighbourhoods of al-
Safa, al-Zohour and al-Samran which lack security control.
Watani International
12 March 2017
