Five Egyptians were killed and eight were wounded in clashes between Christians and Muslims in a town near Cairo, in the country's latest sectarian violence.

Four Christians and a Muslim died when members of both communities started shooting at each other in the town of Khusus.

Christian-Muslim confrontations have increased in Muslim-majority Egypt since the overthrow of former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 gave freer rein to hardline Islamists.

Attacks on churches have sharpened longstanding Christian complaints about discrimination.