One man died and three others were injured after clashes in Qena broke out between two families.
A security source told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the clashes occurred Thursday between the Abu Sehly and al-Mekhalfa families in the city of Farshout, where they exchanged gunfire over a personal vendetta.
The clashes killed 30-year-old Eissa Wanis and injured 15-year-old Ali al-Shazly from the Abu Sehly family. Ibrahim Ali Ibrahim, 22, from Mekhalfa family and passerby Abdel Nasser Kahoul also sustained injuries.
Shops owned by Gamal Makhlouf, a member of Mekhalfa family, were burned during the fighting.
Security forces were deployed in the area to prevent the renewal of clashes, and the prosecutor was notified to carry out investigations.
Such feuds are common in Upper Egypt, where family honor is considered at stake if violent acts are not avenged. Qena in particular is infamous for the widespread vendetta killings that occur there.
Sociologists say that a flawed legal system and tribal-dominated culture encourage such practices. Judges have been accused of issuing lenient sentences against vendetta killers, often 15 years in prison or less.
Edited translation from MENA
