"Young Christian man killed by ISIS in Libya after refusing to deny Jesus "
In a tragic echo of past atrocities against religious minorities in North Africa, a 20-year-old Egyptian Coptic Christian named Milad Malak was kidnapped and killed by Islamic State militants in Libya after refusing to renounce his Christian faith.
Malak, who faithfully served as a deacon at a Coptic church in his home village of Sebarbay in Egypt's Gharbia governorate, had traveled to the Libyan coastal city of Zliten on September 2, 2026.
Seeking better employment opportunities amid ongoing economic challenges in Egypt, he made the journey alongside two Muslim friends from his village, sharing lodging with other Egyptian migrant workers.
The ordeal began on the morning of October 4, 2026, when ISIS militants raided their residence and abducted Malak along with his two friends.
During their captivity, the men were subjected to severe abuse while the captors demanded ransom payments for their release. According to Malak's sister, Madonna Malek, his family paid a ransom, and the families of his two Muslim friends paid $4,700.
However, while the two Muslim friends were eventually released and later hospitalized in Egypt to recover from their injuries, the militants refused to free Malak solely because he was the only Christian in the group.
Accounts from the freed friends, as reported by advocacy groups Open Doors and International Christian Concern, reveal the extraordinary courage Malak displayed during his final days.
Militants tortured the young deacon for several days and repeatedly threatened his life in an effort to force him to abandon Christianity and convert to Islam. Malak steadfastly refused every demand, reportedly declaring to his captors that he would never deny Jesus Christ, even if they cut him into pieces.
Following his execution in early October, his family learned of his martyrdom through his released friends and appealed to the Egyptian government to help recover his body. His remains were returned to Egypt several weeks later, where relatives and his grieving community gathered to honor and mourn him on October 28, 2026.
Malak's death highlights the ongoing dangers faced by believers in the region. Libya currently ranks ninth on the Open Doors World Watch List of countries where Christians endure the most severe persecution.
Advocacy organizations have drawn poignant parallels between Malak's sacrifice and the February 2015 mass execution of 20 Egyptian Coptic Christians and one Ghanaian believer by ISIS militants on a Libyan beach, reminding the world of the enduring cost of discipleship in hostile lands.
A Prayer for the Persecutors, the Departed, and the Grieving
Heavenly Father, we lift up the soul of Your faithful servant and martyr, Milad Malak. We pray for the peaceful repose of his soul, trusting in Your promises that those who remain faithful unto death receive the crown of life and rest safely in Your eternal presence.
Lord, we ask that You wrap Your loving arms around his grieving family and community. Pour out Your divine comfort upon them, easing their sorrow with the unshakable peace and assurance that Milad is saved, victorious, and rejoicing with You in Heaven.
Finally, Lord, in obedience to Your command to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, we pray for the militants who committed this act. Soften their hardened hearts, open their spiritual eyes to the truth of the Gospel, and bring them to genuine repentance so that they may turn to Jesus Christ, accept Him as their Lord and Savior, and be redeemed by Your boundless grace. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
Sources and Links
The Christian Post Report: https://christianpost.com
Open Doors Official Website: https://opendoors.org
International Christian Concern Official Website: https://persecution.org
