Cairo tense in wake of Christian-Muslim fighting

In the wake of what has been the most violent time in Cairo since the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak, the scene is tense at the Egyptian capital.

At least 24 people are dead and 200 were injured due to fighting between Christians and Muslims over the weekend. Vehicles were set on fire, people were throwing rocks and one another, and there was shooting with live ammunition, harming both civilians and military alike.

The clashes began when Coptic Christians demonstrated at the state television headquarters over the destruction of one of their churches in the Aswan province last week, which they suspected was the work of Muslim radicals. A group that was marching to join the general protest was attacked en route, sparking the violence.

Christians 10 percent of Egypt's roughly 80 million people.

An overnight curfew was lifted on Monday but dozens of people have been arrested, according to state media, and a heavy security presence remained on the streets near Tahrir Square.

D. Beeksma

One of the growing crowd of American "nones" herself, Deborah is a prolific writer who finds religion, spirituality and the impact of belief (and non-belief) on culture inspiring, fascinating and at times, disturbing. She hosts the God Discussion show and handles the site's technical work. Her education and background is in business, ecommerce and law.

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