Coptic Christian killed in Cairo sectarian clashes

afp

By Mona Salem (AFP) 8 mars 2011

CAIRO — A Coptic Christian was killed in clashes with Muslims in Cairo on Tuesday, the same day at least 1,000 Christians gathered there to protest the burning of a church last week, a hospital official said.

The death of Mina Fares Hanna occurred in the poor working-class district of Moqattam, but no further details were immediately available.

Fighting broke out mid-afternoon when dozens of Muslims showed up in Moqattam, inhabited by Copts who work as garbage collectors and who had blocked a main north-south artery in the capital.

People threw rocks from both sides and witnesses said soldiers at the scene fired shots into the air to disperse the crowds.

« The armed forces are successfully tackling the riots in the Moqattam and Qualaa neighbourhoods, » the state MENA news agency quoted an official it did not identify as saying.

Earlier on Tuesday, Copts had protested in central Cairo against the burning of a church south of the capital after deadly clashes between Christians and Muslims, state television said.

The protest outside the radio and television building came a day after at least 2,000 angry Christians demanded the re-building of the torched church, and that those responsible be brought to justice. read more…

~ par Alain Bertho sur 9 mars 2011.

Publié dans émeutes, riots, الشغب