The prosecutor-general in Egypt has called for urgent legal action after a man reportedly had female genital mutilation (FGM) performed on his three young daughters under the pretext that they were receiving treatment for Coronavirus.

Both the father and the doctor who performed the procedure have been referred to a criminal court.

The mother of the girls reported the incident to the authorities.

She is divorced from their father, who is said to have told the girls they were to be "vaccinated" for coronavirus. They were then reportedly drugged and FGM was carried out on them.

FGM has been illegal in Egypt since 2008, but remains prevalent.