Cairo: Muslims and Christians clash in Imbaba

 

Muslims are alleged to have exchanged fire with Christians

 at the Saint Mena church in the capital

At least five people have been killed and dozens more 

wounded during clashes between Muslims and Christians

 inCairo, Egyptian officials say.

The clashes – in the suburb of Imbaba – came after 

Muslims attacked a church to free a Christian woman,

 witnesses said.

They alleged she was being held against her will 

because she wanted to convert to Islam.

Soldiers and police, backed by tanks, fired guns and 

tear gas to separate the groups, according to reports.

Eyewitnesses said some 500 conservative Muslims 

– known as Salafists – gathered at the Coptic 

Saint Mena Church in the Cairo suburb demanding 

to take custody of the woman.

Shouts were exchanged between church guards, 

people living near the church and the protesters,

 which developed into a fully-fledged confrontation 

during which the two sides exchanged 

gunfire, firebombs and stones.

"I just left one young man dead inside the church,"

 one man, a Christian,

 was quoted as telling Reuters journalists.

Copts make up between six and 10% 

of Egypt's population of some 80 million people