Supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi have attacked seven churches in Minya, torching four of them, while the death toll reached five because of clashes between the security forces and the Muslim Brotherhood’s supporters. (Also see: Mohamed Morsi Camp to Face Police Crackdown in 24 Hours)
The clashes, were at least 130 people were injured, erupted during their attempts to storm six police stations in Minya governorate on Wednesday, in reaction to the security forces’ crackdown on the supporters of Mohamed Morsi’s protest camps in Cairo earlier today.
The Mohamed Morsi loyalists set fire to four churches, including Virgin Mary’s Church and the Anglican Church. They also torched a hall subordinate to a monastery and a Coptic school in the city’s downtown area.
Scores of Muslim Brotherhood members attempted to break into Matai, Bani Mazar, Mallawi, Samallout and Abu Qerqas police stations and opened fire at them.
Police forces engaged with the attackers and fired teargas to disperse them.
Mohamed Morsi: Beltagi appears on TV, denies arrest
Senior Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed el-Beltagi appeared on several television channels on Wednesday, denying his arrest by the Egyptian authorities.
Security officials had said earlier that they arrested Beltagi whose daughter was killed in the crackdown against supporters of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi on Wednesday.
Mohamed Morsi supporters demonstration torch Mary Guirguis Church in Arish
Scores of ousted President Mohamed Morsi’s supporters torched Mary Guirguis Church in Arish on Wednesday and destroyed its main gate.
The attackers barged into the church, broke the cross and torched the church to the ground.
They also set two police vehicles on fire earlier today and attempted to storm Ber al-Abd police station in Arish.
Egypt banks and stock market close Thursday
All banks, including the Central Bank, will be closed and the stock market will suspend all of its operations on Thursday, Reuters said.
A violence wave swept the country on Wednesday as the Egyptian authorities began their crackdown on the sit-ins of ousted President Mohamed Morsi’s supporters.
Five dead in clashes between police, Mohamed Morsi supporters in Suez
Five people, including a woman, were killed in Suez on Wednesday when clashes between security forces and supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi broke out, a health ministry official said.
Around 50 others were injured in the clashes, said Mohamed al-Azizi, the health ministry’s undersecretary in Suez.
Four army tanks were torched to the ground by Mohamed Morsi’s supporters, a military source in Suez told Aswat Masriya.
Mohamed Morsi supporters set the Catholic Good Shepherd Church and the Fransiscan School in Suez on fire earlier today.
They also clashed with the police and army forces near a complex of government buildings in the city.
