CAIRO: The attorney general of the Sohag prosecution remanded in custody four men pending investigation into Sunday’s sectarian clashes in the Upper Egyptian governorate.
Rumors of a relationship between a Muslim man and a Coptic woman led to clashes between their respective families in El-Mansha’a city, Sohag. Police and army forces intervened.
A heavy army presence was seen to prevent any escalations after five from both families were injured and sent for treatment to Sohag University Hospital.
Police arrested seven from both sides, three of them were released and four were imprisoned pending investigations into charges of knife possession, rioting and terrorizing citizens.
A number of the city residents told Daily News Egypt in a telephone interview that reconciliation sessions between the two families are being organized by the heads of influential families.
Bishop Angelos of Mari Gergis Church told DNE that the situation was calm in the city and that life is returning to normalcy.