Egypt sectarian violence toll rises to 10: state media

May 08, 2011 |

CAIRO
Egypt

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Egypt

The death toll from clashes between Muslims and Christians in the Egyptian capital Cairo has risen to 10, state TV said on Sunday.

The clashes in the working class neighbourhood of Imbaba, in northwest Cairo, on Saturday also left 186 injured, TV reported.

The two groups clashed after Muslims attacked the Coptic Saint Mena church in Imbaba to free a Christian woman they alleged was being held against her will because she wanted to convert to Islam.

Copts account for up to 10 per cent of the country's 80 million people and they complain of discrimination, and have been the targets of fairly regular sectarian attacks.

Claims that Christian women who converted to Islam were kidnapped and held in churches or monasteries have soured relations between the two communities for months.

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