This is a translation of the latest news from Coptreal.com today, on the violent clashes between Egyptian Copts and Muslims. The Copts were protesting against the burning of a church last week by Muslims. (original Arabic here)
Gunfire Exchanged Between Copts and Muslims in al-Muqattam and Sayida ‘A’isha Provinces; News of One Killed and Dozens Wounded; Army Sprays Bullets in the Air
Nadir Shukri, Coptreal.com, 8 Mar 2011
The provinces of Manshiyat Nasir and Sayida ‘A’isha are witnessing violent armed clashes between Copts and Muslims, which has resulted in at least four killed and dozens wounded. Meanwhile individuals from the armed forces are trying to take control of the situation, which has been at a critical point for more than three hours, as of 8:30 PM Tuesday night. The exchange of gunfire between the two side continues in various parts in Manshiyat Nasir and Sayida ‘A’isha provinces. Traffic has come to a complete halt, and passers-by as well as some car owners are fleeing in the streets, after some cars were destroyed. The sound of gunfire reverberates in various areas, which has put the residents of the areas in a state of terror and panic.
A source from the residents in al-Muqattam said that the Copts of Manshiyat Nasir went out to protest the attacks on the Copts in the city of Atfih. When they went out to the streets and the highway, verbal clashes broke out between Copts and Muslims, which then turned into physical confrontations between the two sides. Thereupon machine gun fire was exchanged between the two sides, resulting in a number of deaths. The source stated that there were four Copts killed and several wounded, but there’s no precise count on the total number from both sides. Forces from the Army tried to disperse the two sides by firing rounds into the air. At the time of this writing the situation has still not been contained.
Father Sama’an Ibrahim, a priest in the al-Muqattam monastery, stated that the Muslims opened fired on the Copts in Manshiyat Nasir, and that the number of wounded had reached 40, but there was no final count of the number of killed and wounded.
originally posted on Translating Jihad
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