Prosecutor-General Hisham Barakat has ordered 51 people arrested when security forces stormed an Islamist stronghold in Upper Egypt to be detained for 15 days pending investigations.

The suspects are accused of unlicensed firearms possession, incitement to murder and terrorism, thuggery, destroying public and private property and other charges.

The town of Dalja in Minya governorate had been witnessing attacks against local Christians by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi since July. Several churches, monasteries and Christian-owned shops and houses had been torched.

Security forces descended on the town on Monday, pledging to restore order and impose a curfew.