Three Egyptian Coptic monks were murdered in a criminal attack at a monastery in South Africa, the Coptic Orthodox Church confirmed on Wednesday.
In a statement, the church said the attack took place on Tuesday at the Coptic Monastery of Saint Mark the Apostle and Saint Samuel the Confessor in South Africa’s commercial capital Johannesburg.
“The attack resulted in the martyrdom of the three monks: the Monk Hegumen Takla El-Samuely (deputy of the diocese of South Africa); the Monk Yostos Ava Markos; (and) the Monk Mina Ava Markos,” the statement read.
The church said relevant agencies have begun investigations into the attack and Egyptian ambassador to South Africa, Ahmed Taher Elfadly, visited the monastery late Tuesday to follow up on the situation.
According to reports, a survivor told the police he was hit by an iron rod but managed to escape and hide.
The police are still trying to determine the motive for the killings, with Gauteng provincial police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi telling journalists that the attackers “reportedly left the scene without taking any valuable items”.
JN/APA