EGYPT: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNS THE DELIBERATE KILLING OF EIGHT CIVILIANS IN UPPER EGYPT

 Amnesty International condemns the latest killings of civilians in Upper Egypt and once again calls on armed opposition groups to immediately stop such killings.

    "The deliberate and arbitrary killing of civilians cannot be tolerated under any circumstances," Amnesty International said today.

    On Saturday, 24 February two armed men, allegedly members of al-Gama 'a al-Islamiya, opened fire on civilians who were sitting outside their houses in al-'Uthmaniya village, near al-Badari in the governorate of Asyut. The gunmen killed eight civilians including six Coptic Christians -- Magdi Sadeq Gubrayal, aged 22, Zaki Tawfiq Mounir, aged 45, Boutros Nasif Rizq, aged 35, Kamil Fathi Bakhit, aged 38, 'Aziz Boutros Sulayman, aged 50, Makin Sa'ad Salem, aged 45, Gami' Shukri Nasir 'Abd al-Rahman, aged 43, and Khalaf Shukri Nasir 'Abd al-Rahman, aged 22.

    The two gunmen escaped. The area where the killings took place is predominantly Coptic Christian and it appears that the killings were on account of religion.

     At least 14 civilians have been killed, allegedly by members of al-Gama'a al-Islamiya, in Upper Egypt over the last 10 days.