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78 injured in new sectarian clash in Egypt
May-16-2011

Egypt's Health Ministry said on Sunday that 78 people were wounded during violent clashes that took place on Saturday in downtown Cairo.

The clashes occurred at the Egyptian TV building when a group of unidentified men attacked Christians staging a sit-in in front of the entrance of the building, official MENA news agency said, adding the attackers threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the protesters.

In one of the latest sectarian clashes, 15 people were killed and more than 200 injured in clashes that erupted outside a Coptic church in Cairo on May 6. Coptic Christians have since then holding protests against violence.

Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf decided on Wednesday to form a national justice committee to stand against sectarian sedition. The committee will study a law regarding the building of worship houses, including churches and mosques.

Minority Copts account for about 10 percent of Egypt's total population. Copts and Muslims in Egypt generally live in peace, but sporadic violence between them occur due to the construction of churches or romantic affairs between worshippers of the two groups.