At Least 6 Killed by Gunmen Outside Coptic Christian Church in Egypt

More than half a dozen Coptic Christians were killed and another half dozen were wounded, many seriously, after a Thursday morning drive-by shooting after a Christmas midnight mass in Nag Hamadi in Upper Egypt.

Egypt's Coptic Christian community was celebrating midnight mass on Christmas Day, according to the Coptic calendar, when the shooter sprayed a large crowd in front of the church with a hail of gunfire. Many died on the spot.  Others were taken to the hospital in serious condition with gunshot wounds.

Coptic bishop Kirollos says the drive-by shooter unleashed a torrent of gunfire on crowd of worshippers.

Nag Hamadi, 64 kilometers from the famous Temple of Luxor, has been racked by sectarian violence since the reported sexual assault of a Muslim girl by a Christian man, in November.  Muslim residents of the town ransacked, burned and looted Christian homes and shops for five days after the alleged incident.

Christians in the town say that they had received further threats of revenge in recent days and many were afraid to attend the midnight mass.