13 die in sectarian violence in Cairo

[Guest guest]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/09/AR2011030901944.\

html

13 die in sectarian violence in Cairo

By N. Leiby

Washington Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, March 9, 2011; 10:45 AM

CAIRO - Thirteen people died in overnight clashes between Christians and Muslims

in the worst outbreak of sectarian violence in Egypt since last month's ouster

of president Hosni Mubarak, officials reported Wednesday.

The religious rioting stirred fears among some political and civic leaders that

the country's post-revolutionary unity could be rapidly deteriorating.

The Health Ministry also said 110 people were injured after Coptic Christians

blocked roads in several Cairo locations as part of their growing protests to

demand the rebuilding of a village church that was torched in earlier sectarian

violence south of the city.

All those killed Tuesday were Christians, according to Bishop Morcos, a

spokesman for the Egyptian Copts, but his account could not be independently

confirmed. The worst casualties were inflicted by gunfire and molotov cocktails,

he said.

The deaths led to pleas for tolerance from religious and civic leaders.

" I call upon Muslims and Christians to avoid incitement and to place more weight

on national love, " Amr Khaled, an Islamic cleric, said in a phone call to a

popular Egyptian television program. Meanwhile, leaders of various youth and

political factions urged followers to join a protest on Friday under the slogan,

" No to sectarian strife. "

But protests continued to sow havoc Wednesday morning in downtown Cairo.

Stone-throwing erupted in clashes between Egyptians who continue to use the

city's central Tahrir Square as a staging ground to air grievances, and those

who want all demonstrations to stop.

The latest sectarian violence was stoked last Friday when a church was set on

fire after clashes between Copts and Muslims left two dead. The bloodshed

reportedly resulted from a feud between the families of a Christian man and a

Muslim woman who were having a relationship.

The year began with religious violence: 21 people died when a suspected suicide

bomber blew himself up as Copt worshipers left a church after midnight on New

Year's Day in andria.

Special correspondents Muhammad Mansour and Sherine Bayoumi contributed to this

report.