Egyptian MP, Mubarak's Son Exchange Accusations After Church Fire

Egyptian lawmaker Mustafa Bakri (AFP via Getty Images)
Egyptian lawmaker Mustafa Bakri (AFP via Getty Images)
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Egyptian MP, Mubarak's Son Exchange Accusations After Church Fire

Egyptian lawmaker Mustafa Bakri (AFP via Getty Images)
Egyptian lawmaker Mustafa Bakri (AFP via Getty Images)

Egyptian authorities are trying to restore Abu Sifin Coptic Christian church in Giza after fire swept through it during Sunday's Mass, killing at least 41 people, mostly children, and injuring many others.

Following the incident, lawmaker Mustafa Bakri demanded authorities investigate prominent Egyptian businessman Naguib Sawiris after his tweet about the church incident.

Bakri had accused Sawiris of "striving to create sedition" after the latter wrote that he would not accept condolences before uncovering the details of the accident.

"We in Upper Egypt do not accept condolences before we know the details," he added.

Sawiris sparked criticism that amounted to a call for a judicial investigation of him.

Some social media users saw that his tweet was suspicious. Others considered that he was questioning the statement of the Interior Ministry, which announced that an electrical malfunction caused the fire.

Later, Alaa Mubarak, eldest son of former president Hosni Mubarak, accused Bakri of spreading lies, saying that it would have been possible for anyone else but the lawmaker to demand an investigation.

In response, Bakri warned Mubarak, saying he was aware of his reasons for defending Sawiris.

The two continued the exchange, and Alaa wrote several posts that carried "strong criticism" of Bakri.

During an interview with Ten Channel, Bakri continued his criticism of Sawiris and attacked the businessman, wondering if he thought about restoring the church or attending the funerals of the dead.

After the disaster, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Tawadros II, referred to "lies" being spread about the church fire.

In telephone statements to a local Egyptian channel, Tawadros said social media pages and some television channels are spreading false reports, unsuitable of the incident, and some claim the incident was caused by negligence.



Sweida Clashes Renew Debate Over Tribal Alliances and Kurdish Forces in Syria

Fighters from the Bedouin clans in the city of Sweida on Saturday (AFP) 
Fighters from the Bedouin clans in the city of Sweida on Saturday (AFP) 
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Sweida Clashes Renew Debate Over Tribal Alliances and Kurdish Forces in Syria

Fighters from the Bedouin clans in the city of Sweida on Saturday (AFP) 
Fighters from the Bedouin clans in the city of Sweida on Saturday (AFP) 

The recent violent clashes in Sweida between local Druze factions and pro-government Bedouin tribes have reignited concerns over the stability of tribal alliances across Syria. As Arab tribes rallied to support the Bedouins, speculation mounted that a similar tribal uprising could erupt in eastern and northern Syria, where US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) maintain a stronghold.

The fear of a broader tribal insurgency grew after thousands of tribal fighters reportedly mobilized toward the Sweida front from provinces such as Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, and Raqqa, areas that remain divided between the SDF, a Kurdish-Arab coalition, and the Syrian government.

However, Sheikh Maan Hamidi Daham al-Jarba, head of the Shammar tribe, dismissed the possibility of the Sweida scenario repeating itself in northeastern Syria.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he praised the SDF and its commander, General Mazloum Abdi, for achieving what he called “historic political balances and understandings” during a highly sensitive phase. The Shammar’s military wing, the Sanadid Forces - numbering between 7,000 and 10,000 fighters - have been key SDF partners since 2013, operating primarily along Syria’s eastern border with Iraq.

The SDF, established in 2015, introduced itself as a unified national military force representing Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, and other communities in Syria. Earlier this year, its commander, Abdi, signed a landmark agreement with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to integrate the SDF and its civilian administration into the Ministry of Defense and national institutions by the end of 2025.

Bedir Mulla Rashid, a Kurdish affairs analyst at the Raman Center for Research, noted that the SDF’s power base has long rested on alliances with Arab tribal councils. While he acknowledged that the Sweida events could shake dynamics in the northeast, he ruled out an imminent tribal uprising. He emphasized ongoing US efforts to stabilize the region, partial sanctions relief, and a peace process between Türkiye and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), as factors discouraging escalation.

“There is no equivalent to the Sweida factions in the northeast,” Rashid said. “Nor is there a regional power willing to fuel a confrontation with the SDF, especially as Türkiye is currently focused on internal reconciliation with the Kurds.”

In regions like al-Jazira and the Euphrates, tribal divisions have deepened over the course of Syria’s conflict. Last summer, tribal infighting erupted in deadly clashes. Yet, figures like Akram Mahshoush al-Zoubaa, head of the Elders Council within the Autonomous Administration and adviser to the Jabour tribe, remain adamant that the recent unrest should not be viewed as a model for the east.

“These movements do not reflect the values of Arab tribes,” al-Zoubaa said. “The SDF represents all components of society, despite ongoing efforts by various actors to sow division.”