Twelve dead and churches burnt in Cairo

Eight Egyptians were killed, and a church set on fire, after violence erupted between Muslims and Christians in Cairo.

Egypt
May 9, 2011

Eight Egyptians were killed, and a church set on fire, after violence erupted between Muslims and Christians in Cairo.

Officials said the two groups clashed in the north-western district of Imbaba after Muslims attacked the St Mena Coptic church to free a Christian woman they alleged was being held against her will because she wanted to convert to Islam, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

A parish priest, Father Hermina, said the fatalities were among Copts who died when ”thugs and [Muslim fundamentalist] Salafis fired at them” in the late afternoon attack.

Outside the church, military police parked armoured cars to keep the Muslim protesters from the church and fired their guns into the air as the two groups hurled stones at each other. The Muslim protesters threw firebombs, one of them setting an apartment near the church on fire.

Father Hermina and witnesses said the Muslims tried to storm the church earlier in the day, claiming the Christians were holding a Muslim woman.
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