Parish Priest - 10 Killed; Church Burned - Updated - Muslim Versus Christian Violence In Egypt Escalates

Soldiers and police, backed by tanks, fired guns and tear gas to separate the groups, according to reports.

Eyewitnesses said some 500 conservative Muslims - known as Salafists - gathered at the Coptic Saint Mena Church in the northwestern Cairo suburb demanding to take custody of the woman.

Deteriorating relations

Shouts were exchanged between church guards, people living near the church and the protesters, which developed into a fully-fledged confrontation during which the two sides exchanged gunfire, firebombs and stones.

"I just left one young man dead inside the church," one man, a Christian, was quoted as telling Reuters journalists.

A parish priest , Father Hermina, told the AFP news agency that the group had attempted to storm the church earlier in the day.

But one Muslim protester told the news agency that they had first been fired upon by the Copts.

"They started firing on us. We were peaceful," said the man, who gave his name as Mamduh. "We won't leave until they give up their weapons and the people who killed us are tried."

Relations between Egypt's Sunni Muslim majority and Coptic Christians - who account for about 10% of the population - have deteriorated in recent years.

THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

I THINK WHAT GOING TO GO DOWN IN EGYPT MAY VERY WELL BE ON PAR WITH THE WORST PURGES IN HISTORY, IF NOT. A HOLOCAUST.

Clashes between Muslims and Christians in the Egyptian capital Cairo left six people dead and about 50 others injured, the health ministry said.

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

A parish priest , Father Hermina, told AFP the dead were Copts who died when "thugs and (Muslim fundamentalist) Salafis fired at them" in the late afternoon attack.

The Gospel had been laid on a body wrapped in a sheet that was lying inside the church. The church floor was bloodstained as wounded Christians were brought into the church for treatment.

Outside the church, located in the poor working-class neighbourhood of Imbaba, military police parked several armoured cars to block off Muslim protesters from the church.

STAY TUNED.

GEE. I WONDER IF THE ARAB LEAGUE WILL GO TO THE UNSCR TO ASK FOR AN INTERVENTION TO PREVENT VIOLENCE TO EGYPT'S CHRISTIANS!?

UPDATE: MORE HERE.