On Tuesday, the Egyptian security forces raided a terrorist enclave of seven operatives in al-Amīriyyah, Cairo. They were found in possession of six automatic rifles, four cartridges, and a large amount of various kinds of ammunition. The group was planning to conduct a series of armed operations to coincide with Coptic Easter, according to an official statement from the Egyptian Interior Ministry.

Despite the link with Coptic Easter holidays, the recent decline in militant operations in Egypt raises questions about whether the political, economic and security pressures that coronavirus has brought with it have stirred terrorist organizations into action to apply further pressure to the regime.