Muslim mob destroys Christian homes, businesses

Christians in a small, southern Egyptian village are rebuilding their lives and homes after hundreds of Muslims rampaged through their community, burning houses and businesses, after rumours surfaced of a romantic relationship between a Christian and a Muslim. At least 23 homes and numerous businesses -- all Christian-owned -- were damaged or destroyed in the village of Al-Nawahid in Qena Governorate, 454 kilometres south of Cairo.

The attack started on the evening of November 15, when hundreds of Muslims poured onto the streets chanting "God is great!" while brandishing swords, knives and meat cleavers and shooting rifles in the air, said Ra'fat Samir, a human rights activist in Luxor. Five people were injured, including two 87-year-old men, who suffered head injuries. The rioters were responding to a rumour that a 20-year-old Coptic man, Hussam Naweil Attallah, was romantically involved with an 18-year-old Muslim woman. According to Samir, there is a feud for political control of Al-Nawahid going on among three families. Two of the families are inciting violence, using Christians in the area as pawns to depose the current mayor.

Please pray the Lord will heal and fully restore those who have been injured. Pray those in authority will have the wisdom and fortitude to do all they can to bring the perpetrators to justice and bring about peace. Pray the church will be able to respond to these attacks with grace and love.

You can read more about the persecution Christians face in Egypt by visiting the Egypt Country Report.

  • Country Information

    Population
    109,546,720 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Egyptian (99.7), other (0.3)

    Religion (%)
    Islam (90), Christianity (10)

    Leader
    President Abdelfattah Said El-Sisi (2014)

    Government type
    Presidential republic

    Legal system
    Mixed legal system based on Napoleonic civil and penal law, Islamic religious law, and vestiges of colonial-era laws

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Egypt

    Pray on behalf of those who are facing economic and social challenges because of their Christian faith. Ask the Lord to provide for their spiritual and practical needs – further strengthening and emboldening them so they can effectively share the message of the Gospel with others in their communities. May the hearts of those who hear it be open and receptive to the wonderful truths contained in God’s Word.

Egypt News

  • Christian Convert Charged with Terrorism
    Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq is casually leaning to the side and smiling.
    Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq
    Photo: CSW

    On July 22nd, Egyptian authorities formally charged Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq (a convert from Islam to Christianity) with joining a terrorist organization, stirring unrest and spreading false information. Since converting to the Christian faith in 2016 and joining the Russian Orthodox Church, Saeid experienced persistent rejection from his family and community, as well as intimidation from local police. Despite these challenges, he regularly shared his newfound faith with those around him.

  • Prisoners Released After Years of Detention
    Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo
    Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo
    Photo: ADF International

    Originally from Yemen, Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo was forced to flee to Egypt in 2014 after being subjected to violent attacks because of his conversion to Christianity. Then, in 2021, Abdulbaqi was arrested by Egyptian officials following an interview he did for a Christian television program addressing the topic of persecution in Yemen. Additionally, he was identified as a member of a Facebook group for those who had converted from Islam to Christianity. Nour Gerges, an Egyptian Coptic believer who also participated in the same Facebook group, was arrested at the same time.

  • Three Christians Hospitalized After Stabbing
    Three crosses on Coptic steeples are silhouetted against the sun on the horizon.
    Domes of a Coptic Church building in Egypt.
    Photo: Flickr / Andrew A. Shenouda (cc)

    Three Christian men were hospitalized after being brutally attacked on November 5th in Ashruba, a village located within the Minya province of Upper Egypt. This is only the latest incident to occur amid a recent surge of sectarian violence throughout the region.

  • Christian Homes and Businesses Burned
    A water truck is working to douse a fire.
      

    Late into the evening of April 23rd, Islamic militants set fire to several homes and shops owned by Coptic Orthodox Christians in the village of Al-Fawakher, which is located in Egypt's southern Minya province. Although the attackers attempted to prevent the occupants from leaving their burning homes, thankfully there were no reported fatalities.