Sri Lanka: Killing of 21 Egyptians by IS ‘a crime against humanity’

The Government of Sri Lanka today condemned the gruesome killing of twenty one Coptic Christian Egyptians by the terrorist group, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Libya last Sunday.

“The barbaric manner in which these killings were carried out has outraged the collective conscience of the world, and is a crime against humanity,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. 

“Sri Lanka firmly believes that the international community should take concerted and decisive action to eradicate the growing menace of terrorism, which is a threat to human civilization, in all its forms and manifestations,” the statement said.

The Government of Sri Lanka conveyed its profound condolences to the Government and the people of Egypt, as well as to the bereaved families affected by the terrible national tragedy.

The 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians were marched to a beach, forced to kneel and then beheaded on video, which was broadcast via a website that supports Islamic State.

The victims were among thousands of unemployed Egyptians desperately seeking work in Libya, despite the risks. Egypt’s foreign ministry said it was banning travel to Libya and had set up a crisis centre to bring home Egyptians.

Thousands of traumatized mourners gathered at the Coptic church in al-Our village, where 13 of the 21 victims came from, struggling to come to terms with the fate of compatriots who paid a gruesome price for simply seeking work.

Egypt is not the only Arab nation sucked into confrontation with the group by the gruesome killings of its citizens.

Jordan has taken a leading role in conducting air strikes against the group in Syria and Iraq this month after the militants released a video showing a captured Jordanian pilot being burned alive in a cage.