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Egypt: Islamist Mobs Attack Christians, Set Fire to Homes
[LI] Riots began following rumors that Coptic Christians were planning to build a new church in the village of Al-Fawakher.Egypt’s beleaguered Christian minority is once again under attack as Islamist mobs attack Christians and set fire to their homes in the southern province of Minya, the U.S.-based Catholic News Agency reported Wednesday. The anti-Christian riots began earlier this week in response to rumors that Coptic Christians, one of the oldest Christian communities in the Muslim-majority Middle East, were planning to build a new church in the village of Al-Fawakher, media reports say. Videos circulating on Twitter apparently show angry Egyptian rioters chanting ’Allahu Akbar’ and burning homes with joyful Arabic music in the background. "The attack occurred after word spread that residents of the village, which is home to 3,000 Christian families, had obtained a permit to construct a church building," the watchdog International Christian Concern (ICC) reported. According to Islamic Sharia law, non-Muslims, or ’dhimmis,’ living under the Muslim-rule are not allowed to repair their places of worship, let alone build new ones. Muslim rioters reportedly had tacit backing from the Egyptian security services. "Despite promises of safety from security forces, the cries of help from the archbishop and the local Coptic community went unanswered as the attack unfolded. Security forces arrived only after the attack, leaving a yet unknown number of Christians to perish in their burning homes," the ICC added. The Copts, who constitute close to 10 percent of the Egypt’s 95 million population, face regular attacks from the country’s Muslim population and persecution from the state. Posted by: Frank G 2024-04-29 |
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