Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 10 /Trend, A.Tagiyeva/
Clashes in Egypt between Coptic Christians and the police intensify the inter-religious crisis in the country, which in such a sensitive period for Egypt, can lead to religious war, said editor of Egyptian "Al Ahram" newspaper Sherif Shubashi.
"Egypt is going through a period when any armed clash could lead to a crisis that would affect the stability in the country," Shubashi told Trend in a telephone conversation.
According to expert, the authorities' statements regarding a conspiracy to destabilize the country do not correspond to reality, because the Copts of Egypt carry out protests upon their own will, demanding greater political and social rights.
"Like other residents, the Copts are trying to expand their rights and achieve government's implementing certain requirements, and it is wrong to call it a conspiracy," he said.
The death toll from Sunday's clashes in Cairo between Copts and security forces was 23.
On Sunday, about 10,000 Christian Copts came to the region where there is a building of the Union of Television and Radio of Egypt on the Nile. They demanded the resignation of the governor of Aswan and called on to protect the rights of Christians in Egypt. The reason for mass protests of Copts that swept all the major Egyptian cities during the last week was the inter-religious conflict in the El Mareynab village near Aswan in the country's south.
The clashes began afternoon, then the protesters moved to the main square of the capital - Tahrir. Egyptian Prime Minister Isam Sherif made a statement in which he said that the tragic events in Cairo were the result of a conspiracy.
"An attempt to drive a wedge between the army and the people, but the government will not succumb to such conspiracies," - he said. Mufti of the Islamic University in Egypt, "Al-Azhar," the Egyptians have called for unity and to prevent the religious crisis in the country.
According to Shubashi, strengthening of the Christians' demonstrations in Egypt was caused by fears that the influence of the Islamists will increase in the country. "Islamic organizations in Egypt create their own parties and nominate their candidates for president. Such turn of events was a major cause for activation of the Copts," said the expert.
Shubashi also believes that the Islamists are trying to take advantage of Egypt's religious turmoil in the country in order to come to power. The Egyptian Copts are one of the largest Christian communities in the Middle East. According to various sources, they make up about 10 percent of 80 million people in Egypt.
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