Coptic monks of the El-Mahraq Monastery in the southern city of Assiut clashed with local residents over ownership of a nearby villa that they claim belongs to them.
Dozens of monks recently gathered outside the villa, which sits on 2400 square meters of land and is worth some LE50 million, demanding that its current residents vacate the premises and turn it over to the monastery.
"My family has been living in this villa for 70 years," lamented longtime villa resident Gamil Atteya. "How can these monks suddenly claim ownership over it?"
Local authorities have urged the two parties to resolve their differences through legal channels.
Villa residents provided Al-Masry Al-Youm with documents confirming that they have resided there since 1942. Monastery officials, however, have also produced documents stating that the villa is the property of the monastery.
"We know who is behind this," said the monastery's Reverend Bakhimos. "There will be serious repercussions if the problem isn't resolved."
From Almasry Alyoum
