One person has died and dozens injured in clashes between Muslims and Coptic Christians in Egypt's north coast city of Alexandria, the Ahram Arabic news website reported.

Clashes erupted Friday night in Al-Geish Street in western Alexandria, after a fight started between two young men, one Copt and the other Muslim, when the Copt allegedly sexually harassed the latter's sister. The parties involved in the fight reportedly used Molotov cocktails and machine guns.

The incident left one person, Sherif Sedki Saad, dead by a heart-attack during the clashes, and dozens others injured.

Nasser El-Abd, Alexandria's investigations director, said that Central Security Forces prevented the crowds from storming into Al-Azraa Church in Al-Geish Street where clashes have been taking place. Security forces have also spread in the area to restore order.

According to Reuters, police arrested eight people after two hours of fighting.

The situation is currently reported to be calm in the area.

Egypt has last witnessed severe sectarian clashes last April in Al-Khosous city in Qalioubiya governorate after Christian children allegedly painted offensive drawings on the wall of an Islamic institute.

In the ensuing violence, which raged for hours, guns were fired and shops and buildings set ablaze, leading to the deaths seven people, including four Christians and two Muslims. The religion of the seventh person has not been confirmed.

Two people were killed and at least 90 injured the next day when unknown assailants attacked mourners outside St Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo where a funeral service was being held for the four Copts killed in Al-Khosous.

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