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Christian Foundation Condemns Attack on Church, Christian Homes in Egypt

Credit: CSW

By Magdalene Kahiu

Cairo, 21 December, 2023 / 3:31 pm (ACI Africa).

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a UK-based human rights group, has condemned attacks on Christian homes and a church building site in Al-Azeeb village in Samalout, Minya Province, Upper Egypt.

According to the entity, an extremist mob attacked the church building site and homes in the village that is home to some 3,000 Coptic Christians on the evening of December 18 when workers at the site were digging the ground to lay the foundation. 

The mob is said to have thrown stones and Molotov cocktails, which set fire to several houses and livestock belonging to Christians before clashing with police officers who were deployed to contain the situation.

Christians in Al-Azeeb village had received a permit to build the church recently. 

In a Wednesday, December 20 report, CSW Founder President says they are “saddened by this latest attack in a region that has long been prone to sectarian outbreaks.”

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“Our thoughts and prayers are very much with those affected and with the Christian community in Egypt in general as Christmas approaches,” Mr. Mervyn Thomas says.

Mr. Thomas adds that the destruction of the homes and properties belonging to Coptic Christians “highlight once again the urgent need for the Egyptian authorities to enact the law regulating the construction and renovation of houses of worship in a manner that guarantees the right of Christians to worship in community with others.”

He calls on Egyptian authorities “to hold those responsible for this attack accountable, and to refrain from resorting to reconciliation meetings as a replacement for the rule of law, as they impose ad-hoc, unjust and often un-constitutional conditions on the victims of sectarian violence and perpetuate impunity for the perpetrators.”

Magdalene Kahiu

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.

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