QENA (Egypt) - Cautious calm returned Saturday to the Qena village of el- Nawahed following a day of clashesbetween Muslims and Copts that left more than 13 houses gutted,police said. They said that the losses included property damaged incurred during the clashes, which broke out on the first day of Eid el-Adha, which began on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Qena prosecutors began questioning a score of persons suspected of being behind the fight between Christians and Muslims in village, which is located on the outskirts of Abu Tisht town, legal sources said. Investigations revealed that the violence broke out after claims that a Coptic girl eloped with a Muslim youngman, the sources said, adding that the police have restored order to village after making several arrests following the violence. Witnesses said that angry Muslims and Copts had burned 13 homes owned by members of the families of the boy and the girl after rumours that the young lovers had eloped early on Tuesday. The rumour angered many unidentified Muslim and Coptic villagers, who decided to burn homes in revenge, police said. Residents of the village told police that the fire tore through the homes in which Muslim and Christian families lived.
