Australia's political leaders have condemned the latest attack on Coptic Christians in Egypt that killed more than two dozen people. Gunmen attacked the group, who were travelling to the monastery of Saint Samuel the Confessor in Minya province, killing 28 people and wounding 25 others - with many children among the victims. "In solidarity with the Egyptian people we condemn the horrific terrorist attack on Coptic Christians including children," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tweeted on Saturday. Labor's Bill Shorten and Penny Wong described the shooting as an attack on "freedom of religion everywhere" and extended their sympathy to members of the religious group. "As we did following the attacks in Manchester and Jakarta, Labor stands once more with all people of goodwill, of all faiths who utterly reject those who would seek to divide us through terror and violence," a Labor statement said. "An attack on any place of religion is an attack on freedom of religion everywhere and Labor expresses our support and deepest sympathy for the 100,000 Australians of the Coptic faith." Eyewitnesses said masked men opened fire after stopping the Christians, who were travelling in a bus and other vehicles. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which came on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan. Coptic Christians, whose church dates back nearly 2000 years, make up about 10 per cent of Egypt's population of 92 million but have been suffering increasing persecution and violence in recent years. The attack is the latest in a series of assaults on Egypt's Christian minority which saw 70 people killed in Christmas and Palm Sunday bomb attacks by Islamic militants on churches in Cairo, Alexandria and Tanta.
