Pope Francis arrives in Cairo seeking to mend ties with Islam

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi greets Pope Francis upon his arrival to Cairo, Egypt April 28, 2017 in this handout picture courtesy of the Egyptian Presidency. The Egyptian Presidency/Handout via REUTERS

CAIRO (Reuters) - Pope Francis, starting a two-day visit to Egypt, urged Muslim leaders on Friday to unite in renouncing religious extremism at a time when Islamist militants are targeting ancient Christian communities across the Middle East.

Francis's trip, aimed at improving Christian-Muslim ties, comes just three weeks after Islamic State suicide bombers killed at least 45 people in two Egyptian churches. (For a graphic on bombings of Egyptian Coptic churches click http://tmsnrt.rs/2qnswgD)