By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist

An angry mob of 4,000 Muslims attacked the homes of Christians in a small village near Cairo in retaliation for a relationship between a Muslim woman and a Christian man.

The Assyrian International News Agency (AINA) is reporting that the attack occurred on Saturday night in the village of Soul, Atfif, in Helwan Governate, which is home to an estimated 12,000 Christians. The mob attacked the Church of St. Mina and St. George, exploding gas cylinders inside, then tearing down the cross and domes before torching the interior. According to witnesses, the mob chanted “Allahu Akbar” during the episode, then vowed to conduct their morning prayers on the church plot after razing it.

The whereabouts of the pastor and three deacons is still unknown. Some reports say they died in the fire and others say they are being held captive by the Muslims inside the remains of the church.

A Coptic activist named Wagih Yacoub reported that the mob broke into Coptic homes and called on the Christians to leave the village. He said that some fled while others hid in the homes of friendly Muslim neighbors.

AINA reports that the incident was triggered by a relationship between a 40-year-old Copt named Ashraf Iskander and a Muslim woman. A “reconciliation” meeting was arranged between the relevant Coptic and Muslim families the day before the attack, and together with the Muslim elders it was decided that Ashraf Iskander would have to leave the village because Muslims torched his house.

Tragically, the father of the Muslim woman was killed by his cousin because he did not kill his daughter to preserve the family’s honor. This, in turn, led the woman’s brother to avenge the death of his father by killing the cousin.

The village Muslims blamed the entire situation on the Christians, which is what prompted the attack.

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