Sectarian violence breaks out in Egypt

Police have arrested scores of "instigators of chaos'' following violent clashes between angry Christians, Muslims and security forces that left 24 dead and at least 200 wounded, Egypt's official news agency reported on today.

Yesterday's clashes, triggered by a recent attack on a church in southern Egypt, come as the worst sectarian violence since the uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak in February.

The MENA news agency did not report whether the arrested people were Christians or Muslims.

According to Egypt's state television, authorities had stepped up security at vital installations to ward off trouble  and posted additional troops outside parliament and the cabinet.

The rioting in downtown Cairo, extended late into the night, and brought out over 1,000 personnel from security forces as also armoured vehicles to defend the Nile-side state television building, where the trouble started.

The clashes quickly fanned to nearby Tahrir Square, drawing thousands of people to the vast plaza, the backdrop of the protests that ousted former president Hosni Mubarak. Last night, they engaged each other with rocks and firebombs, even tearing up pavement for ammunition while some collected stones in boxes.