Muslims Attack Christian Shops and Homes

Photos from Compass Direct
Seven Christians were injured in two recent unrelated attacks against Coptic Orthodox churches and Christian-owned shops in Northern Egypt, according to a June 15 report from Compass Direct.

At approximately 9:45 p.m. on June 8, Muslim men damaged and looted Christian shops and churches in the town of Zawyet Abdel-Qader, twenty miles west of Alexandria. Local Christians report that the incident was sparked by an argument between a young Christian truck driver and a Muslim teenager. A number of Christians were injured while trying to defend their property. One man suffered burn wounds from an acid solution and another was stabbed in his head and back. St. Mary and St. Mercurius Church was also vandalized until police intervened.

In the evening of June 12, a group of Muslims also launched an attack on the Church of the Holy Virgin in the Al-Dekhela district, six miles west of Alexandria, after an argument erupted between two construction workers, a Christian named Bassem Mikail (16) and a Muslim named Abdel-Dayem, in front of the church. The Muslims threw bottles and stones at the church building. Several people were also injured.

Pray for healing for those injured in the attacks. Pray that Christians in these communities will reflect the nature of Christ in their response to provocation (Matthew 5:43-48).

For more information on persecution in Egypt, click here.

  • Country Information

    Population
    109,546,720 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Egyptian (99.7), other (0.3)

    Religion (%)
    Islam (90), Christianity (10)

    Leader
    President Abdelfattah Said El-Sisi (2014)

    Government type
    Presidential republic

    Legal system
    Mixed legal system based on Napoleonic civil and penal law, Islamic religious law, and vestiges of colonial-era laws

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Egypt

    Pray on behalf of those who are facing economic and social challenges because of their Christian faith. Ask the Lord to provide for their spiritual and practical needs – further strengthening and emboldening them so they can effectively share the message of the Gospel with others in their communities. May the hearts of those who hear it be open and receptive to the wonderful truths contained in God’s Word.

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    Photo: Flickr / Andrew A. Shenouda (cc)

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