In 2012, a small village in Egypt became the scene of devastating sectarian violence, triggered by a seemingly trivial incident. A Muslim man accused a Christian laundry owner of burning his shirt while ironing, an accusation that spiraled into a violent clash, leaving one person dead and forcing the entire Coptic community to flee. Among them was a Coptic couple who, upon returning to their home, found it destroyed.
The couple, innocent bystanders in the initial dispute, sat in the rubble of their shattered lives, embodying the deep-seated fears and trauma inflicted upon their community. Although security forces intervened to restore a fragile sense of order, the couple’s expressions reflected the harsh reality that their lives—and their sense of safety—would never return to what they once were.
photos by Georges Mohsen, documentary photographer, Egypt © 2012