ASWAN, Egypt, April 7 (UPI) -- At least 25 people were killed and 56 were injured after violence erupted between local ethnic groups in the city of Aswan in southern Egypt.
Four days of violence began when an Arab group allegedly spray painted anti-Nubian messages on a wall after Nubian children were seen walking through the neighborhood on their way home from school. Dozens of shootings and stabbing occurred throughout the city following the inflammatory message. Photos of cars and homes being torched and looted also appeared online.
A video also appeared on Facebook allegedly depicting bodies being collected and dragged off a cart during the clashes. The governor of Aswan slammed the media for publishing the photos and video of the clashes and asked the military to provide troops to keep the violence from escalating.
The government insists the violence was caused by the Muslim Brotherhood, as they are blamed for any incidence of violence since the ousting of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi.
However, conflict between the two ethnic groups has been long-standing and is due to a history of marginalization of Nubians by Egyptian Arabs in the area.
Nubians have historically lived in southern Egypt and northern Sudan and have their own distinct culture, traditions and dialect.
[HuffPost Live]
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