WASHINGTON, DC: July 30, 2018. (PCP) Bishop Epiphanius who served at the St. Markarious Monastery in Wadi al-Natrun was found murdered inside the monastery where he was an abbot. He had left his room to attend a morning service before Sunday Mass when he was struck in the back of the head. IDC condemns this horrific attack which is only the latest in a string of violence against Coptic Christians that has increased sharply in 2017 and 2018. The State Department's International Religious Freedom Report released earlier this year, had 28 pages of violations of religious freedom in Egypt, saying "Societal violence connected with religion, including terrorist attacks, continued". Since Egypt is a large recipient of U.S. aid, IDC Calls on the U.S. Administration and State Department to hold Egypt accountable for the treatment of the Coptic Christians. Between 2015 and 2017, the Coptic Community suffered the following attacks: Dec 29, 2017: Terrorists Attack Coptic Church South of Cairo, at Least 10 Reported Dead. Oct. 12, 2017: Coptic Priest Murdered in Cairo in Latest Anti-Christian Sectarian Attack in Egypt. July 15, 2017: Slashing at Coptic Church in Alexandria As Attacks on Christians in Egypt Escalate. June 24, 2017: Egyptian Authorities Bust Terror Cell Targeting Alexandria Church For Suicide Bombing on Eid al-Fitr. May 29, 2017: 'Moderate' Muslim Brotherhood Incites More Terror Attacks Targeting Egypt's Coptic Christians. May 26, 2017: On Eve of Ramadan, Islamic Gunmen Kill 31 Coptic Christians on Pilgrimage in Egypt. May 9, 2017: My Visit to the Site of the December Coptic Church Suicide Bombing in Cairo. May 8, 2017: Islamic State Threatens More Attacks on Egypt's Christians, Obama CVE Adviser Says They Have It Coming. April 14, 2017: New Attacks on Coptic Christians in Upper Egypt -- But It's Not the Islamic State. April 12, 2017: Egyptian Authorities Stop Planned Islamic State Terror Attack on Coptic Monastery in Upper Egypt. April 9, 2017: Two Blasts Strike Coptic Churches on Palm Sunday in Egypt, 49 Reported Dead. Feb. 25, 2017: Hundreds of Egyptian Coptic Christians Flee Sinai After Series of Islamic State Murders. Feb. 19, 2017: New Islamic State Video Threatens Egyptian Christians, Shows December Church Suicide Bomber. Feb. 13, 2017: More Coptic Christians Murdered the Past Two Months Than Admitted As Refugees During Obama's Presidency. Jan. 3, 2017: Islamist Murders Christian for Selling Alcohol in Alexandria. Dec. 11, 2016: Cairo Cathedral Bombing Killing 25 During Church Service Fits a Familiar Pattern. Aug 14, 2016: Three Years After - Revisiting the Muslim Brotherhood's August 2013 'Reign of Terror' Targeting Egypt's Christians. June 25, 2016: Disgraced Homeland Security Adviser Mohamed Elibiary Scapegoats Egypt's Christians -- Again. March 29, 2015: Muslim Brotherhood Mob Attacks Family of Coptic Christian Martyr Beheaded by ISIS in Libya.