Cairo: Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi Thursday warned against what he called “attempts to drive a wedge” between the country’s Muslims and Christian minority following a series of sectarian incidents in Egypt.
Earlier this week, a young Christian man was killed and three others injured in a quarrel between Muslims and Christians in the Upper Egyptian province of Minya, according to local media.
“When we talk about being partners, this means that we, as Egyptians, are equal in rights,” Al Sissi said in televised remarks at a military ceremony in Cairo, without directly mentioning the weekend violence.
“All of us are partners in this country. It is not appropriate to say this is an Egyptian Muslim and this is an Egyptian Christian. The rule of law is in place. Anyone who makes mistake will be brought to account by means of law, starting with president of the republic.”
Al Sissi is widely popular with Egypt’s Christians because in 2013 as a defence minister he led the army’s 2013 overthrow of Islamist president Mohammad Mursi.
Christians account for around 10 per cent of Egypt’s mostly Muslim population of 91 million population.
Their relations are generally harmonious, but occasional tensions occur between them due to disputes over places of worship and conversions.
In recent weeks, Egyptian media reported several incidents of sectarian violence mainly over alleged construction of unlicensed churches.
In May, an elderly Christian woman was reportedly stripped of her clothes in the street by a Muslim mob in Minya after rumours spread that her son had an affair with a Muslim woman.
That incident caused outrage among Egyptian Christians and Muslims alike.
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