Christians Devastated by Mob Attack

Map and flag of EgyptChristians in the Upper Egypt village of Al-Nagameesh have been left devastated after a mob armed with petrol bombs went on a rampage, destroying homes and businesses. The attack on November 25th was apparently triggered by suspicions that local Christians had turned a community centre into a church.

The community centre, which was also destroyed by fire, had become the focal point for Al-Nagameesh's Christian minority that gathered there for funerals, weddings and sometimes prayer. There is no church facility in the village where these believers can gather.

Three days before the attack, a local pastor held a ceremony at the centre to mark the first anniversary of his father's death. The next day, extremists handed out leaflets claiming Christians had turned the centre into a church and urging other militant Muslims to attack it. They cut off the village water supply in advance and blocked the firefighters' routes so the fires could not be controlled.

Tensions have been worsened by the country's new legislation, which passed in August, imposing further restrictions on the building of churches in Egypt. For more information on the persecution of believers residing in this nation, please visit the country profile.

Pray that God will provide for all those whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed or damaged in this recent attack. May local officials take firm action by clamping down on extremism, ensuring that such attacks do not go without reasonable consequences. Continue to intercede for members of the government, in hopes that they will uphold the religious rights of minorities throughout Egypt. Of course, we also need to intercede for the perpetrators who are desperately in need of God's life-changing ministry and salvation.

Important Note: Since the compilation of this week's Persecution & Prayer Alert, we have received news that additional bombings have taken place in Egypt -- one of them targeting a church in Cairo. Please join us by upholding the numerous injured victims, as well as the families and friends of those who did not survive the attacks. (More information will be provided in a future report.) Such incidents of persecution serve as ongoing reminders of the need to uphold our Christian brothers and sisters during these perilous times.

  • 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.