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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Egypt News

  • Christian Homes and Businesses Burned
    A water truck is working to douse a fire.
      

    Late into the evening of April 23rd, Islamic militants set fire to several homes and shops owned by Coptic Orthodox Christians in the village of Al-Fawakher, which is located in Egypt's southern Minya province. Although the attackers attempted to prevent the occupants from leaving their burning homes, thankfully there were no reported fatalities.

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  • Temporary Church Building Burned
    Two images of a room full of chairs. In the first, the chairs are neatly arranged. In the second, the chairs and interior of the building are burned.
    The temporary church building before and after the arson attack.
    Photo: Christian Solidarity Worldwide

    Local Christians in the village of Misha'at Zaafaranah, located within Egypt's Minya Province, are working to get approval to build a place of worship. The required documents have been submitted to the authorities and, for the meantime, the group of believers were meeting in a temporary structure on the land belonging to the church.

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  • Attack on Church Building Site
    Multiple crosses sit atop of a church roof.
    A Coptic church in Egypt.
    Photo: Flickr / Mark Fischer (cc)

    Since 2016, the government of Egypt has been slowly approving the registration of more than 3,700 church buildings that were operating without the required licencing. These buildings were established before 2016, during a time when permits were virtually impossible to get. Although the licencing process now being administered has been long and tedious, thankfully progress is eventually taking place.

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  • An Additional 216 Church Buildings Legalized
    Saint Mark Church in Helipolis
    A church in Egypt.
    Photo: Flickr / Andrew A. Shenouda (cc)

    Seven years ago, the Egyptian government formed a committee to work through applications to legalize unlicensed church buildings. When the committee was first formed, there were 3,730 outstanding applications. Though the process has been exceedingly slow, thankfully that number has been gradually decreasing. To review previously posted reports on this situation, go to our country report.

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