Egyptians charged over feud deaths

The family was ambushed on the way to Gerga

Thirteen Egyptian men have been charged with the murder of 22 members of a rival family in a blood feud that began 11 years ago.

Blood feuds are common in rural Egypt, far from the world of Cairo

If convicted, they could face the death penalty.

A further six family members were charged with illegally possessing weapons, while the mayor of a neighbouring village is also to stand trial for harbouring two of the accused.

The men, from the Abdel-Halim family, are accused of ambushing the rival Hanashat family in the Upper Egyptian province of Sohag - 400 km [250 miles] south of Cairo - and opening fire on the minibuses they were travelling in earlier this month.

All 22 victims died inside their vehicles, police said. Three other people were wounded in the incident.

Deaths 'avenged'

The slain Hanashats had been planning to attend the trial of two family members in the town of Gerga.

They have been accused of killing one of the Abdel-Halims last April.

The attack on their convoy was apparently to avenge their deaths.

The family feud, which has been running for a decade, is thought to have been sparked by a fight between children.

Both families live in the village of Beit Allam, near Sohag.

Family feud

Blood feuds and "honour killings" are common in parts of the Arab world.

Correspondents say this is particularly true in rural Upper Egypt, where communities adhere to strict rules that have been followed for centuries.

The clash was the deadliest outbreak of clan violence since 1995, when 24 people were killed in a clash between rival families outside a mosque in Minya province.

In March 1998, a man involved in the 1995 vendetta killed seven people and injured nine others from the rival family.

Past feuds have also been linked to militant Islamic groups.