Release International

Two serious assaults on Coptic Christians in a village in Upper Egypt have led them to fear they may be the next target for organised violence.

Copts in Sheikh Telada village, Samalout district, are said to be 'extremely distressed' after Christians were attacked in two separate incidents last month. The assaults took place despite the presence of state security forces, drafted in to protect Copts after violent raids on Christians in Upper Egypt in November (Prayer Alert, December 1, 2009).

In the first incident on February 2, three assailants attacked Christians Zarif Elia and his wife and tried to rape Zarif's wife. Zarif hit one of his attackers on the nose and managed to flee with his wife – only to find later that he had been accused of his assailant's murder. Zarif's lawyer insists that the man had died of 'natural causes' not from Zarif's punch.

Three weeks later, Efraim Shehata and his wife Rasha ambushed and shot. Both received several bullet wounds yet survived. Efraim is currently paralysed on his right side due to shrapnel in his spine. Efraim's attackers told him he was being punished for publishing Zarif Elia's story on the internet, according to the Assyrian International News Agency.

Church leaders say that Christians in Telada are now 'too frightened to leave their homes' and fear a repeat of recent attacks on Christians in and around Farshoot town. Those assaults were reportedly in retaliation for an alleged assault on a Muslim girl by a Copt.

(Source: Assyrian International News Agency)

• Ask God to heal completely Efraim Shehata and his wife Rasha, recovering from gunshot wounds. Pray for His peace to rest on Zarif Elia and his wife too.
• Pray that the Egyptian Government will take firm action to protect Coptic Christians.

Back to top