'6 shot dead in Egyptian religious clashes'

Six Coptic Christians were shot dead and at least 45 were injured in religious clashes with Muslims in the Egyptian capital, a Coptic priest today.

Six Coptic Christians were shot dead and at least 45 were injured in religious clashes with Muslims in the Egyptian capital, a Coptic priest told AFP on Wednesday.

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"We have at the clinic the bodies of six Copts, all of them shot," local priest Samann Ibrahim told AFP.

The clashes between Christians and Muslims erupted in the poor working class district of Moqattam late Tuesday after at least 1,000 Christians gathered there to protest the burning of a church last week.

A hospital official had initially reported one person dead late Tuesday.