Peace has reigned in the village of Rahamaniya in Qena, Upper Egypt, following an attack against Copts last Thursday evening.
Peace has reigned in the village of Rahamaniya in Qena, Upper Egypt, following an attack against Copts last Thursday evening.
A group of Muslim villagers waged an attack with white weapons and firearms against the Copts in the village, who were attempting to defend a piece of Coptic-owned land which the Muslim villagers were bent on seizing.
When they could not seize the land, the Muslims went on a torching spree against Coptic-owned property; the result was that two houses were burnt, a barn destroyed and several cars and motorbikes torched, all belonging to Copts. The attack went on from 8pm till 10 pm when the police intervened with tear gas to disperse the crowds. Simultaneously, and in order to protect the Coptic worshippers from the violence which they feared might spread onto the village centre, the police cordoned off the Mar-Girgis (St George) church in the village, where Epiphany Mass was taking place.
These clashes came in the wake of skirmishes between the Muslim and Coptic villagers the week before when parliamentary elections were taking place. The supporters of Islamist candidates attempted to keep the Copts from voting; when the Copts insisted on voting violence erupted and one Copt was injured. All the same, the Islamist candidate lost.
Local political and security authorities in Qena, headed by Qena governor Adel Labib, are currently attempting to reconcile the Muslims and Copts of Rahmaniya in order to avoid any more sectarian violence, especially considering that the first anniversary of the 25 January Revolution is fast approaching.