What we’re tracking on 13 April 2017
Egypt’s Orthodox, Evangelical, and Catholic churches will not be celebrating Easter this year as they mourn the victims of the Palm Sunday attacks, AMAY reports. The Coptic Orthodox Diocese in Minya, which was the first to make the announcement, said that celebrations will only be limited to the liturgical prayers "without any festive manifestations," according to the Associated Press. Tanta’s Coptic Orthodox Diocese followed suit and announced canceling all Easter celebrations, according to Al Shorouk.
The news comes as a number of diplomatic missions, including the United States, have reportedly warned their staff to avoid houses of worship for the coming two weeks as a security precaution.
Meanwhile, forensics and CCTV footage confirmed the attack on the St. Mark’s Coptic Church in Alexandria was perpetrated by 31-year-old Mahmoud Hassan Mubarak Abdallah, according to an Interior Ministry statement on Wednesday. Abdallah, who had previously only been identified by Daesh by his pseudonym, was reportedly part of a terrorist cell headed by his brother-in-law. The ministry also released a list of other members of the cell, most of whom reside in Qena. Authorities have yet to reveal the identity of the Tanta bomber.
31 of those injured in the Alexandria attack have been discharged from hospital, while 17 remain hospitalized, Ahram Online reports, citing Alexandria governor Mohamed Sultan.
Banque Misr’s card and online banking services will be down from 11pm tonight until 2am tomorrow and again from Sunday afternoon until Monday morning for routine service updates, Youm7 reports.