For the third day in succession since the police broke up the sit-ins by the Islamist Mursi supporters last Wednesday, the Islamists have gone on a rampage against Copts and churches.
In Mallawi, Minya, in Upper Egypt, the Coptic Catholic church of the Holy Family, the Evangelical church, and the Good Shepherd School have been set on fire. Christians in their homes and shops have been attacked. Mallawi rights activist Ezzat Ibrahim says that 10 Coptic homes have been attacked so far.
The Islamists surrounded the Coptic Orthodox bishopric in Mallawi, but have so far not been able to break into it.
A group of Islamists are also marching against the 4th-century desert monastery of Abu Fana.
In Giza, the Islamists tried to break into the Giza bishopric but were confronted by the army and stopped. An eyewitness told Watani that the assailants fled to the side streets, shouting curses and abuses at the army for defending the Church. Bishop of Giza Anba Theodosius says that the Muslims in the neighbourhood rushed to defend the bishopric church of Mar-Girgis against any further attack, and have formed squads to defend the other churches in Giza
And in Cairo, the Islamists attempted to break into the Mar-Girgis church on the Nile Corniche to Helwan, but the Muslims in the neighborhood rushed to defend the church and forced the Islamists to turn back.
But the church of Mar-Girgis in Hadayeq Helwan has fallen into the hands of the Islamist who are trying to set it on fire.
Watani International
16 August 2013