News by email Donate

Suggestions

Top Stories

Most Read

Popular Videos

World News

Egypt: Hundreds of Muslim villagers attack Christians after alleged Facebook post

by Tola Mbakwe

Sectarian violence has broken out in an Egyptian village.

Hundreds of local Muslim villagers in Barsha in Minya governorate attacked the homes and properties of local Christians on Wednesday.

According to persecution watchdog Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), the incident began after rumours circulated that a Christian man, who remains anonymous to ensure his security, had posted a comment on his Facebook page that was deemed insulting to Islam. The man claims that his page had been hacked.

The aggressors also tried to attack the church of Abou Sefin, where the congregation was celebrating the beginning of the Coptic fast. CSW said minibus belonging to the church was set on fire and several homes and properties were damaged, but no one was hurt. Police were arrived quickly, and arrested a number of local Muslims and Christians who were involved in clashes.

The allegation that sparked the violence comes amid a significant increase in the number of people arrested on charges relating to contempt of religion and blasphemy during 2020.

CSW’s CEO Scot Bower said: “While we are relieved that nobody was hurt in this incident, the Egyptian government must do far more to combat sectarian violence and bring an end to the culture of collective punishment in the Minya region. This incident must be thoroughly investigated, with those responsible brought to justice. The societal hostility underpinning sectarian discord, which facilitates frequent outbreaks of violence in the area, must also be addressed.”

CSW has urged Egyptian authorities to engage positively with human rights organisations to promote religious diversity through civic engagement and education.

A Monthly Gift Of $11 Makes A World Of Difference

In a world of fake news there’s never been a greater need for quality Christian journalism. Premier’s mission is to provide the Church with the most up to date and relevant news, told from a Christian perspective. But we can’t do it without you.

Unlike many websites we haven't put up a paywall — we want to keep our journalism free at the point of need and as open as we can. Premier’s news output takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. No one in the USA is sharing news like we are across radio, magazines and online so please help us to continue that today.

For a monthly gift of $11 or more we’d also be able to send you a free copy of the brand new Premier Bible, a wonderful Anglicised version of the NLT packed with exclusive bonus content, reading plan and resources to help you get the most out of scripture.

Your monthly support will make a world of difference. Thank you.

Support Us
Continue the conversation on our Facebook page

Related Articles

Sign up to our newsletter to stay informed with news from a Christian perspective.

News by email

Connect

Donate

Donate