False Facebook Post Triggers Attack on Egypt Christians

Egyptian Christians in a Minya village were attacked by Muslim extremists over a post on a hacked Facebook page.

A Christian young man in the village had announced that his Facebook page was hacked a month ago. He posted a video message apologizing for any disdainful messages that may be posed by the hackers.

Yet extremists from the village called for revenge for a post that was considered disdainful of Islam. They demanded Muslims from neighboring villages join them in attacking Christians in Ashnin El-Nasara village.

On June 10, hundreds gathered after the evening prayers at the village mosques. Crying “Alahu Akbar,” they marched on the homes of the father and uncle of the Christian youth. The uncle’s home was damaged outside. The father’s home was wrecked. Windows, furniture, electric appliances and utilities were destroyed. Mattresses were slashed with knives.

Police cordoned off the village and arrested 25 of the attackers.

The Christian young man, his brother and two uncles were also arrested.

Minya is the area where ISIS twice massacred Christians in buses on their way to the Monastery of St Samuel, killing 28 Christians in 2017 and 7 Christians in 2018.

Pray for Egypt’s Christians. Their every-day life is filled with discrimination and constant threats of kidnapping, violence, and martyrdom.

A spike in particularly horrific attacks prompted one religious leader in Egypt in 2017 to say Christians are “facing the most aggressive campaign against them in the history of modern Egypt.”