In early October, a 20-year-old Coptic Christian was kidnapped and killed at the hands of the Islamic State group. 

Milad Malak lived in Sebarbay, Egypt, and served as a church deacon at a local Coptic church. However, because of the country’s economic decline, he traveled to Libya on Sept. 2 to find work. 

He made a day’s journey with two Muslim friends and arrived in Zliten, where they stayed with other Egyptian migrant workers. On the morning of Oct. 4, ISIS militants kidnapped them. 

The captors subjected the group to abuse while they held them hostage for ransom money. Milad’s friends were released after their families paid a $4,700 ransom. They are now receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Egypt. 

Milad’s sister, Madonna Malek, told Worthy News that their family paid a ransom, but because he was the only Christian in the group, his kidnappers refused to release him and violently pressured him to convert to Islam. 

Milad stood strong in his faith until the end. He told his persecutors, “Even if you cut me into pieces, I would never renounce my faith.” 

When the militants realized they could not force him to abandon his God, they killed him. 

Faithful Until the End

After hearing about his death from his friends, Milad’s family appealed to the Egyptian government, asking them to intervene and demand that his body be returned home.  

Several weeks went by until it was finally released, and on Oct. 28, grieving family members and fellow Christians gathered to celebrate the life of their beloved son and friend. 

“He was faithful to Christ till his last breath,” a family friend said. 

Open Doors ranked Libya as the ninth most dangerous place to be a Christian. A Muslim-majority nation, Christians face heavy pressure to abandon their faith.  

Milad’s death has reminded believers of the massacre that occurred in 2015, when 20 Coptic Christians and one Ghanaian were beheaded by militants in Libya for standing strong in their faith. 

Milad joins them as yet another martyr who inspires Christians worldwide to be bold witnesses for Christ until the very end. 

Story by Bella Agnello

To read more news stories, visit the ICC Newsroom. For interviews, please email us. To support ICC’s work around the world, please give to our Where Most Needed Fund.