Immigration min. to visit injured Egyptians in New Zealand's mosque attack

CAIRO – 18 March 2019: Immigration Minister Nabila Markam will head to New Zealand on Tuesday to visit the 11 Egyptians who were injured in the deadly mass shootings at the two mosques in Christchurch on March 15.

During the visit, Makram will meet with representatives of the Egyptian community in New Zealand.

A terror attack hit two mosques in New Zealand. This act of violence targeted congregants and resulted in the death of 49 people.

Makram is set to visit Australia next week to launch an initiative on cooperation among the different communities.

Coming in the wake of terrorist attacks on foreign communities, the initiative is meant to promote solidarity and reject violence and terrorism.

On March 16, Egyptian Top Prosecutor Nabil Sadek ordered to open investigations into New Zealand’s terror attack that resulted in the killing of dozens of worshipers, including six Egyptians.

Earlier, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi strongly condemned the attack, saying that this "brutal attack which targeted worshipers" forces the international community to counter terrorism and exert more efforts to confront violence decisively.

Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed sincere condolences to the families of the victims. Also, Egypt’s religious institutions – Al-Azhar and the Coptic Church in New Zealand - condemned the deadly attack.

“The attack is a dangerous indication of the serious repercussions of escalating hatred speech and xenophobia and the increasing Islamo-phobia in several countries,” Al-Azahr said in a statement on Friday.

Egypt's Council of Churches also extended condolences for the victims' families, saying that such an act does not represent any religion.