A young Coptic man was shot to death and a second one has been kidnapped in Daljā village in Dāyr Mawās district in southern al-Minya governorate. Supporters of the ousted president looted and ignited Virgin and Bishop Abraham Monastery, which includes three churches. Buildings belonging to the Catholic Church were burned; so were nearly 30 houses of Copts in the village. Armed terrorists blocked the street to the village, preventing security forces from entering (Tarīz Hanā, Watanī, Sept. 1, 2013, p. 1). This article has no link online.
Supporters of the ousted president have taken possession of the police station of the village after they had destroyed it during the violent events al-Minya governorate witnessed after the security raid against the sit-ins. Security forces failed in their attempts to enter the village to rescue the Copts, after Morsi supporters fired heavily on them (Muhammad al-Zahrāwī, al-Tahrīr, Sept. 1, 2013, p. 6). This article has no link online.
The committee of the 20, which has been formed by the elders of Daljā, is continuing its efforts to resolve the conflict between Muslims and Christians in the village. It has ruled that the Copts return to pray in the church and that the Muslims shall protect them (Sa'īd Nāfi' and Tarīz Kamāl, al-Masrī al-Yawm, Sept. 1, 2013, p. 3). Read original text in Arabic.
(Anton Bondarew, Intern)
In the past days, Helwan's youth formed human chains made of Muslims and Christians to protect the churches after the Brotherhood's militias attacked them. The attacks and the attempts at burning the church of Mar Jirjis in Hadāīq Helwan and at storming the church of the Virgin Mary in Wādī Hūf were thwarted by the locals who surrounded the buildings.
When they felt a danger on the area's churches, tens of Muslims gathered in front of the churches and in front of the Monastery of Saint Barsūm al-‘Erīan in al-Ma'sarah to protect them
(Daniela De Maria, Intern)
