Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

The downtown Cairo district of al-Azbakīya almost turned into another al-Kushh after sectarian tension sparked by the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) and its members conflicting over the post of secretary-general of the party. The post is currently occupied by Khālid Mhanna al-Asyoutī, a Christian.

The author says that it all started with arguments between a Muslim man, Muhammad Abu ‘Ayta, a local council member, and a young Copt. Supporters of either side gathered and clashes erupted, almost developing into a massacre, but for intervention by a security force from the al-Azbakīya police station.

The crisis, however, is still flaring as some NDP members in al-Azbakīya have been handing out leaflets in which they described the NDP as the "national Christian democratic party," accusing al-Asyoutī of fanning the flames of sectarian strife.

The author says that al-Asyoutī was also accused of favoritism as he has allegedly surrounded himself with a circle of Christian members of the party at the expense of Muslim members, who, in turn, have formed a bloc self-styled "national honest front in al-Azbakīya."