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Saudi Arabia Condoles Egypt over Victims of Church Blaze

14 August 2022, Egypt, Giza: A view of the damage inside the Abu Sifin Coptic church in Giza, after a massive fire broke out during a Sunday service. (dpa)
14 August 2022, Egypt, Giza: A view of the damage inside the Abu Sifin Coptic church in Giza, after a massive fire broke out during a Sunday service. (dpa)
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Saudi Arabia Condoles Egypt over Victims of Church Blaze

14 August 2022, Egypt, Giza: A view of the damage inside the Abu Sifin Coptic church in Giza, after a massive fire broke out during a Sunday service. (dpa)
14 August 2022, Egypt, Giza: A view of the damage inside the Abu Sifin Coptic church in Giza, after a massive fire broke out during a Sunday service. (dpa)

Saudi Arabia offered it condolences to Egypt on Sunday over the victims of the Coptic church blaze.

The Foreign Ministry offered its deepest condolences to the Egyptian people and government.

It wished the injured a speedy recovery and wished Egypt constant security and safety.

A fire ripped through a packed Coptic Orthodox church during morning services in Egypt’s capital on Sunday, quickly filling it with thick black smoke and killing 41 worshippers, including at least 15 children.

Several trapped congregants jumped from upper floors of the Martyr Abu Sifin church to try to escape the intense flames, witnesses said.

Sixteen people were injured, including four policemen involved in the rescue effort.

The cause of the blaze at the church in the working-class neighborhood of Imbaba was not immediately known. An initial investigation pointed to an electrical short-circuit, according to a police statement.

The country’s health minister blamed the smoke and a stampede as people attempted to flee the fire for causing the fatalities. It was one of the worst fire tragedies in Egypt in recent years.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi spoke by phone with Coptic Christian Pope Tawadros II to offer his condolences, the president’s office said. Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam, also offered condolences to the head of the Coptic church.

The Interior Ministry said it received a report of the fire at 9 a.m. local time, and first responders found that the blaze had broken out in an air conditioner on the building's second floor.

The ministry, which oversees police and firefighters, blamed an electrical short-circuit for the fire, which produced huge amounts of smoke.

Meanwhile, the country’s chief prosecutor, Hamada el-Sawy, ordered an investigation and a team of prosecutors were dispatched to the church. He said most victims died of smoke inhalation.

By Sunday afternoon, emergency services said they managed to put out the blaze and the prime minister and other senior government officials arrived to inspect the site. Premier Mustafa Madbouly said surviving victims and families of the dead would receive payments as compensation and that the government would rebuild the church.

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Gulf

GCC Chief to Asharq Al-Awsat : Escalation Poses Grave Threat to Gulf Security

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi
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GCC Chief to Asharq Al-Awsat : Escalation Poses Grave Threat to Gulf Security

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is maintaining regular and active communication with all international parties involved in the ongoing conflict, as part of broader diplomatic efforts to promote de-escalation, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi told Asharq Al-Awsat Wednesday.

Albudaiwi said the GCC views the military escalation between Iran and Israel as a “grave threat” to the security and stability of the Gulf region. He added that the Council, through its official channels, continues to emphasize that “dialogue and restraint” remain the most effective path to safeguarding regional security and stability.

As military confrontations between Israel and Iran entered their sixth day on Wednesday, Albudaiwi warned that the situation was “unprecedented and deeply concerning”.

Albudaiwi also noted that the GCC’s 48th extraordinary ministerial meeting on Monday concluded that the rapidly unfolding events could spiral into a wider regional conflict.

He added that the Council is ramping up diplomatic pressure, calling on all international actors -- including the UN Security Council -- to intervene and prevent further escalation.

Albudaiwi also pointed to the unified Gulf statement issued after the emergency meeting, alongside individual condemnations by all six GCC member states. The declarations denounced Israel’s strikes on Iran and called for immediate de-escalation and restraint.

The Secretary-General underscored the bloc’s ongoing diplomatic push, noting that Gulf states have urged the United States to pressure Israel into accepting an immediate ceasefire.

The GCC is also advocating for the revival of nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran, as part of a coordinated Gulf and international initiative to contain the crisis.

The GCC is holding regular talks with the United Nations, the United States, and allied nations as part of its diplomatic campaign to defuse tensions between Iran and Israel, Albudaiwi confirmed.

“These are the main formal channels for dialogue,” Albudaiwi told Asharq Al-Awsat, adding that the Council has sent unified diplomatic messages rejecting the ongoing escalation and urging restraint.

The communications also included calls to revive peace efforts in the region.

He explained that the GCC’s diplomatic engagement spans official correspondence, closed-door talks, and meetings held within international frameworks, all aimed at restoring regional stability and absorbing tensions without resorting to military options.

“Through this approach, GCC states are pursuing a comprehensive and balanced diplomatic strategy that hinges on communication and coordination with major international powers and global organizations,” Albudaiwi said.

“The objective is clear: to contain the crisis and prevent it from erupting into a broader regional confrontation,” he affirmed.

Albudaiwi mentioned that the GCC has reached “advanced levels” of coordination among member states to confront disasters and emergencies, including non-conventional threats such as chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attacks.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that Gulf states are actively engaged in joint preparedness efforts through early warning and detection networks, enabling rapid and coordinated responses to potential crises.

In light of growing concerns over potential fallout from Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Albudaiwi stressed that the GCC states are equipped with sophisticated radiation and environmental monitoring systems.

These systems allow for the real-time exchange of data via secure channels among relevant national authorities to detect any abnormal indicators at an early stage.

He said this capability is supported by the GCC Emergency Management Center, which plays a key role in coordinating simulation exercises and joint drills focused on unconventional weapons scenarios. These efforts span civilian, security, and defense sectors and aim to boost collective readiness, update national emergency plans, and improve response coordination.

The drills, Albudaiwi noted, are conducted in line with global best practices and are backed by intergovernmental agreements involving defense, interior, and health ministries, all designed to reinforce the Gulf’s collective security framework in the face of emerging threats.