The Egyptian army today seized an Islamist-held town in central Egypt, deploying helicopter-backed military and police forces to dislodge loyalists of former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi.

Supporters of the Islamist official had rampaged through the town of Dalga – looting and torching Christian buildings – after Morsi was removed from power amid mass protests demanding his resignation:

Dalga, a town of about 120,000 people, including 20,000 Christians, has been outside government control since hard-line Islamist supporters of Mr. Morsi drove out the police and occupied the police station on the day the Egyptian military removed Mr. Morsi.

The riots were part of a wave of anti-Christian attacks that observers described as the worst organized violence against Copts in 700 years. Christian leaders in Dalga had recently appealed to the army-backed interim government for protection from Islamist “thugs” who they said were still harassing them and preventing them from praying safely.

[Photo: Argenberg / Flickr]