ICC Note: President al-Sisi in Egypt has condemned the actions of a Muslim mob in Minya that torched Christian homes and attacked an elderly Christian woman. He has assured his nation that the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Six men have been arrested in connection to the incident thus far. The violence began after rumors spread of a romantic relationship between a Christian man and a Muslim woman.

05/27/2016 Egypt (Christian Today): The President of Egypt has demanded justice after Christians homes were torched and an elderly Coptic woman was stripped naked and beaten in the streets of an Egyptian village.

Muslims attacked Christian homes in a village in Minya Province on Friday after rumours that a Christian man was having an affair with a Muslim woman.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said no criminals will “escape without justice”, calling the violence “regrettable”.

The Coptic Pope Tawadros has called for restraint.

Around 300 armed people attacked seven houses owned by Christians in Al-Karm village in Minya province, south of Cairo, on May 20, the diocese of Minya and Abu Qiras said in a statement

The attackers also stripped an old Christian woman of her clothes in front of a huge crowd in the street,” the diocese said. This woman was the mother of the man alleged to have conducted the affair. According to Daily News Egypt, she was 70 years old, and was dragged into the road and beaten.

“His parents already filed a complaint at Abu Qiras police station about receiving threats on 19 May and that they expected those threats to happen the next day,” the statement continued, noting that the man had been forced to leave the village.

Christians burned down three Muslim homes in retaliation. Six people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

President Sissi has given orders to the Govenor of Minya to work with armed forces to restore damaged property within a month at the state’s expense.

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