Coptic locals of Delga village, Deir Mawas [Upper Egypt], reside in a state of panic after dismissed President Morsi’s supporters attacked them.
The perpetrators had attacked Copts’ homes and shops, setting fire to five Coptic houses while chanting hostile slogans against them, and burnt and looted St. George Church’s service building.
Since the attacks, many of the village’s Copts have migrated for fear of continued assault.
Delga has a population of 120,000, of which Copts make up roughly 17 percent. As a small minority, those who remain in the village now refuse to discuss the incident, due to the surveillance imposed on them by Muslim locals, and even those who would speak to our correspondent refused to identify or name any of the perpetrators.
The perpetrators had attacked Copts’ homes and shops, setting fire to five Coptic houses while chanting hostile slogans against them, and burnt and looted St. George Church’s service building.
Since the attacks, many of the village’s Copts have migrated for fear of continued assault.
Delga has a population of 120,000, of which Copts make up roughly 17 percent. As a small minority, those who remain in the village now refuse to discuss the incident, due to the surveillance imposed on them by Muslim locals, and even those who would speak to our correspondent refused to identify or name any of the perpetrators.
“After Sisi’s announcement of Morsi’s dismissal, some of the Muslim locals came out chanting against Copts,” said one of the village’s Copts. “The first attack targeted a church’s services building, and later they attacked the houses of Nadi Mehanna and Fayez Ghattas, claiming that Mehanna had opened fire on them.”
The villager continued, “Mehanna and his son were both detained by village locals and his wife was attacked at their home, receiving two gunshot wounds to her leg. She was transferred to Cairo to receive treatment.”
The source said several Copts were forced to flee the village after the incident, leaving all their belongings behind, while others sought protection with their Muslim neighbors.
“The police only showed up late the following day,” they added.
We investigated one of the houses abandoned by Coptic residents, at which the housekeeper said, “After the attacks, the family found no way to escape but through the village’s back exit, and attackers had broken into the house and stole everything inside.”
Nearly seven families were forced to leave their homes behind, especially as one of the Muslim locals received wounds during the attacks, and Copts fear that his death would mean another wave of attacks against them.
Those who remain in the village do so in a constant state of panic, heightened by the complete absence of security in the village.
The villager continued, “Mehanna and his son were both detained by village locals and his wife was attacked at their home, receiving two gunshot wounds to her leg. She was transferred to Cairo to receive treatment.”
The source said several Copts were forced to flee the village after the incident, leaving all their belongings behind, while others sought protection with their Muslim neighbors.
“The police only showed up late the following day,” they added.
We investigated one of the houses abandoned by Coptic residents, at which the housekeeper said, “After the attacks, the family found no way to escape but through the village’s back exit, and attackers had broken into the house and stole everything inside.”
Nearly seven families were forced to leave their homes behind, especially as one of the Muslim locals received wounds during the attacks, and Copts fear that his death would mean another wave of attacks against them.
Those who remain in the village do so in a constant state of panic, heightened by the complete absence of security in the village.
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