Up to 23 people have been killed and 25 injured in a gun attack on a bus with Coptic Christians in Minya Governorate in southern Egypt, the Egyptian Health Ministry's spokesman Khaled Mogahed told the Al-Masry Al-Youm portal.

Axar.az reports citing Sputnik news.

On Friday, unknown gunmen driving two cars opened fire at a bus carrying Coptic Christians. The attack took place near St. Samuel Coptic Orthodox Monastery in the Kalamoun Mountain.

Egyptian media reported that up to 30 bus passengers could have been killed in an attack when militants in two vehicles opened fire on the bus.

Minya province has the highest Coptic Christian population in the country.

In April, an explosion hit a church in Tanta and another one a police station in the same city. Later, a suicide bomber exploded near the entrance of Saint Mark's church in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. The blasts killed over 40 people. Soon after the attacks, Daesh took responsibility.

In December 2016, a strong blast hit the Coptic Christian cathedral complex in Cairo, killing 25 and wounding 49 people. Daesh claimed responsibility for this attack as well.