Curfew imposed in Upper Egypt for fear of sectarian violence

Ahram Online , Wednesday 20 Apr 2011

Amidst tensions between a Muslim and Coptic family that left two dead over the removal of a speed bump in Abu Qurqas, a curfew is imposed in attempts to avoid violence

Curfew imposed in the city of Abu Qurqas Tuesday evening in order to control the tense situation between Muslims and Copts in the small city in Minya Governorate 260km south of Cairo.

The decision came after clashes escalated between two families, one of them Muslim and the other Coptic, to the point where two died and five were injured Monday night.

Clashes started beside the home of a Coptic former candidate for parliament of Al-Watany Party. His supporters tried to rebuild the road bump after members of the other (Muslim) family removed it because they complained it obstructs traffic.

Abu Qurqas recently made the news over the sectarian crisis of Camilia Shehatah, the wife of a Coptic priest that is said to have converted to Islam about a year ago and was allegedly being held against her will.

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