A newly-appointed Christian governor in Egypt intends to resign Tuesday after several days of Muslim protests, the Egyptian news agency MENA reported.
Governor Emad Mikhail of the Qena governorate intends to submit his resignation within hours, according to the agency.
Mass protests by Muslims in Qena demanded that Mikhail be replaced by a Muslim, threatening to prevent the new governor from doing his job.
The protesters have blocked the Cairo-Aswan railroad in Qena since Friday.
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf on 15 April appointed 20 new governors. Mikhail, who previously served as Giza's deputy security chief, replaced another Christian, former Governor Magdi Ayoub.
