Pope Tawadros, in an interview with Russia Today, said that the assaults on churches and Christian property were attempts to start a civil strife between Muslims and Christians. He added that they will refuse any foreign intervention, even if it is under the pretext of protecting the Coptic minority. The Pope also reiterated his solidarity with the Shaykh of al-Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayyib (Author not mentioned, al-Tahrīr, Aug. 31, p. 18).