Egypt's prosecution in Minya ordered on Sunday an investigation into Saturday's sectarian clashes which left seventeen people injured, including one police officer and three conscripts.

Sectarian tension that erupted at a Coptic Christian’s cafeteria late on Saturday between supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi and residents of Minya's Beni-Ahmed village escalated to both sides hurling stones and Molotov cocktails and firing shots at one another.

An eyewitness said that the confrontations led to the torching of seven residences, the destruction of five vehicles, a kiosk, a coffee shop, two supermarkets and a pharmacy.

All destroyed properties belonged to Coptic Christians who make up Egypt's largest minority - estimated at about ten percent.

A security source said that police forces halted attempts of residents of a neighbouring village to join the confrontations.

Security efforts were enhanced in the governorate as Central Security Forces used teargas to disperse the clashes and contain the chaos.

Tens of Muslim assailants also attacked the Evangelical Church in the governorate and hurled stones at the residences of Coptic citizens following the spreading of a rumor that Coptic assailants torched a mosque in a neighboring village.

Eyewitnesses said that the front of the church was destroyed in the attack.   

This article was published in Aswat Masreya