MINYA 

Security forces have arrested 40 outlaws following the ransacking of churches in the Upper Egyptian province of Minya.

A security source said that the outlaws were arrested late Thursday after an investigation showed that they had stolen electric devices from churches attacked in the wake of last week's dispersal of sit-ins staged by supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

Around 25 churches, including five in Minya, had been attacked by angry protestors after security forces cleared pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo.

Hundreds of people have been killed after security forces violently cleared two pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo and Giza.

Egypt has been in the grip of violence since the military ousted Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president, on July 3 following mass protests against him. Hundreds of people have been killed and wounded by security forces countrywide since.

Scores of police and army forces have also been targeted in attacks on their facilities and security checkpoints.

englishnews@aa.com.tr