CAIRO — On Feb. 24, hundreds of Christians escaped the city of el-Arish in the northern Sinai Peninsula to Ismailia governorate, 110 kilometers (68 miles) to the east of Cairo, after the Islamic State (IS) and its branch in Egypt, Wilayat Sinai, focused their operations on targeting them. This sparked questions about the change in IS’ strategy in Sinai, thus confusing the Egyptian authorities that were consequently accused of slackening in protecting the Copts.

Between Jan. 30 and Feb. 23, armed men killed seven Christians in el-Arish. IS, which has been launching attacks in the city, claimed responsibility for the killing of these people, five of whom were shot while another was decapitated and the seventh was set on fire. Meanwhile, on Feb. 19, IS published a video of the December attack on St. Peter and St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Church in Cairo, calling for targeting Christians in Egypt.

Sources from the Security Directorate in north Sinai told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that el-Arish, which is a crowded urban city, is the Achilles' heel of the security forces as armed men hide between civilians and kill Copts inside their homes and flee before the security forces arrive.

According to official estimates by the Egyptian Cabinet operation room, 144 Christian families have left el-Arish since the last killing of a Copt on Feb. 23. The government reacted by welcoming displaced families, and the security forces and army launched military operations to pursue the armed men.