Islamic State execute 21 Coptic Christians held in Libya

February 16, 2015

A video purporting to show the execution of 21 Coptic Christians by supporters of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has been released yesterday. The video shows them being beheaded in a location apparently near Tripoli in Libya.

The captives, all shown being executed in orange in the video, were picked up in Sirte, a coastal town in Libya, during December and January. The video asserts the Christians were targeted by ISIL because of their religion.

The Coptic Orthodox Church stated they were "confident" justice would be done on those who executed their followers. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stated: "Egypt and the whole world are in a fierce battle with extremist groups carrying extremist ideology and sharing the same goals".

Al-Azhar University, a Cairo-based centre for Islamic learning, described the killing of Christians "barbaric" and stated the actions have "nothing to do with any religion or human values".