Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Minya (Agenzia Fides) - At least ten Copts were wounded and several shops and homes attacked and devastated, but fortunately no victims: this is the toll of the sectarian clashes that on Monday, October 5 shocked the town of Samalut, located in the Governorate of Minya, on the left bank of the River Nile. According to local media, it all started with a trivial argument between a Coptic student and a Muslim student. The Muslim student’s family attacked the Christian student’s family home. Then the situation degenerated, and at least ten Coptic Christians had to go to hospital. The riots and attacks against shops and houses stopped only when the police arrived, who forced the attackers to retreat.
At least 13 of the 21 Copts who were martyred in Libya last winter by jihadists affiliated to the Islamic State (see Fides 16/02/2015) came from the village of Samalut. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 06/10/2015)
