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Middle East and North Africa

Friday’s clashes in Egypt claim 30 lives

The worst violence occurred in the center of Cairo

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

CAIRO, July 6 (Itar-Tass) - Friday’s clashes between the opponents and supporters of the ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, claimed 30 lives, Egyptian mass media quote the medical services as saying.

The worst violence occurred in the center of Cairo and a number of other areas of the city, where seven people were killed, and also in the northern capital, Alexandria, where the violence was the worst in the Sidi-Jaber quarter. Islamists and their opponents there were fighting tooth and claw for eight hours on a tiny spot of land. Stones, Molotov cocktails and firearms were widely used. Fourteen people were killed and about 500 others hurt; 180 of them still remain in hospital.

The clashes continued up to the moment the army intervened. So far the military have detained about 150 trouble-makers. Muslim Brotherhood backers, seen shooting at demonstrators from the roofs of nearby buildings, are being searched for.

Tensions were high in Suez, Asyut, Luxor, Sohag and some other cities throughout Friday. In Ismailia one Egyptian was killed and about 20 injured when a group of Islamists opened fire on demonstrators supporting the army and police. One of Morsi’s supporters was killed in front of the local administration’s building in Suez last night.

In the north of the Sinai Peninsula, a stronghold of Islamic militants supporting the ousted president, their latest attacks left five police and one army serviceman dead. Sources in the army speculate that pretty soon the jihadists may respond to Morsi’s deposition with a major terrorist attack in Sinai. All army units there have been on the alerted since Friday.

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