Egypt's Christians are living in fear after a string of attacks against churches, businesses and homes they say were carried out by angry supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

As police dispersed Morsi supporters from two Cairo squares on Wednesday, attackers torched churches across the country in an apparent response. "People are terrified; no one dares leave home," Marco, a 27-year-old engineer, told AFP by phone from the central city of Sohag.

The city has become a ghost town, he said, describing an atmosphere of terror where attackers "know where the Copts live" and torched several churches before turning to homes. [Fox]