A soldier was killed on Monday as unknown gunmen attacked a police vehicle in Mallawy City in Minya, a security source said.
The police vehicle was on an agricultural road when gunmen opened fire on it, killing a soldier and injuring another the source added. Another soldier who was on board survived. Security services combed the area in search for the criminals.
Violence has increased in Cairo and other governorates between security troops and protesters supporting toppled President Mohamed Morsy since the dispersal of their sit-ins in mid-August.
Minya Governor Salah Eddin Zeyada said in a phone call on Sunday with privately-owned satellite TV channel MBC Masr that authorities thwarted ‘international plan’ to cause security failure in the governorate. He added that security there will be restored soon. “When riots started on Wednesday, there was treason against Egypt and its armed forces, police, Muslims and Copts. Treason was in Minya. It was confronted on Wednesday, and Minya has become safe,” he said.
Clashes erupted between Muslims and Copts in Minya on Wednesday due to neighborhood disputes. The clashes left two injured and several houses burnt.
Three persons were killed and another three were injured on Sunday in an armed fight between two families in Maghagha City, Minya.
Residents of Matay City, north of Minya, attacked a pro-Morsy march on Saturday. They dispersed the march following clashes that led to security intervention. Security troops then gained control over the situation and detained five of Morsy’s supporters.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
