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| Africa North |
| 6 Christians Killed at Cairo Church |
| 2011-05-08 |
| Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- At least six people were killed and 120 injured in sectarian clashes outside a church in Cairo on Saturday, officials said. A group of Muslim Salafists attacked the Saint Mena Coptic Orthodox Church. Gunfire rang out as people sprinted for cover. Egyptian Interior Ministry spokesman Alla Mahmoud said in a statement that six people were killed and 120 injured. He said the clashes were sparked by reports of a Christian woman who married a Muslim man and was allegedly being held inside the church. State TV, citing a source at the Health Ministry, said that eight people died and 144 were wounded in the violence. Nearby, firefighters responded to a blaze at the Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church. Hundreds of residents stood outside as it burned and two men were seen jumping from a window of the building. Authorities sent soldiers and police to help secure the area. |
| Posted by:Steve White |