Violent Clashes Between Christians And Military In Egypt - Three soldiers have been killed

Three soldiers have been killed in Egypt by Christians protesting against a recent attack on a church in Cairo. Egypt is witnessing some of the most intense violence since the February uprising which overthrew former president Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt is witnessing some of the most violent scenes since the uprising which overthrew former President Hosni Mubarak in February.

Following a recent attack on a church, state media reports three soldiers killed by protesting Christians, with a further 30 soldiers injured.

Live television shows protesters throwing rocks and petrol bombs at police, and setting fire to vehicles.

According to witnesses, hundreds from both sides beat each other with sticks on a Cairo bridge.

Coptic Christian protesters say they were attacked by military police.

Tensions between Christians and Muslims have increased since the February uprising.

A similar demonstration last Tuesday ended in the violent dispersal of protesters.

Christians, who make up 10 percent of Egypt's roughly 80 million people, blamed Muslim radicals for partially demolishing a church in Aswan province last week.

They took to the streets demanding the sacking of the province's governor for failing to protect the building.

More than four vehicles were set ablaze and television footage showed protesters breaking windows of parked cars and army personnel carriers driving full speed towards crowds of protesters.

Gun shots were heard and witnesses said crowds of protesters carried bodies.

[Protester]:
"'They're running over their sons with army tanks and firing live bullets at them."

Al Arabiya TV's correspondent, whose office buildings are in the area, said she saw bodies outside the building but did not know if they were just wounded.

She also said they saw protesters attacking military police and seizing their weapons.

Thousands of Christians protested in Cairo and Alexandria on Sunday over the attack, chanting against the ruling military council.

Egyptian media said Muslims were accused of attacking the church after talk spread in the town that the building did not have legal authorisation.