Coptic Christian Kidnapped by Muslim Extremists Finally Returned to Family

A Coptic Christian family in Egypt is thanking God for the miraculous return of their 16-year-old daughter who was kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam earlier this year.

According to the World Watch Monitor, their daughter Marilyn was abducted by Islamic extremists in June. However, police successfully hunted down her Muslim captors and gave her back to her family.

"Recently we found out that Marilyn was held in a place in 10th of Ramadan city," her village priest, Father Boutros Khalaf told World Watch Monitor. "We went to the local police station and they really did their best to reach her and managed to arrest her kidnapper, Taha, and his brother, Gaber, and release Marilyn. She returned back to her family on Saturday, 30 September, after 92 days."

During captivity, Marilyn's kidnappers released video of her veiled, holding a Quran and discussing her conversion to Islam.

Marilyn's mother says she was coerced.

"She was holding the Quran as if she was holding a medal," she said. "I see she is under pressure."

While Marilyn's community is praising God for her safe return, others are still mourning the sudden disappearances of their own daughters.

Dozens of Coptic Christian girls have been kidnapped and forcibly married off to Muslim men in recent years.

One ex-Muslim who the World Watch Monitor calls "G," says Muslim men kidnap Christian girls on a "daily basis."

"They just marry her to make her a Muslim," said "G" who added, "she will be hit and humiliated. And if she tries to escape or convert back to her original religion she will be killed."

He went on to say Muslim kidnappers "get paid for every Coptic Christian girl they bring in."

These kidnapping are just one form of persecution Egypt's Christians face. They also endure church burnings and murder for their belief in Christ.