CAIRO, July 27 (Itar-Tass) - The clashes in the Egyptian capital and Alexandria have claimed over the past day 29 killed and 649 injured, Egypt’s healthcare ministry reported on Saturday.
Clashes between supporters of ousted President Mohamed Mursi and security forces in Cairo's Madinat Nasr district claimed the lives of 21 Egyptians, 180 were injured. In the northern capital, eight people were killed and 214 injured. Currently, at hospitals remain 322 rioters, 230 people suffer from gunshot wounds.
Last night, hundreds of Islamists who hold an on-going protest at Cairo’s mosques Rabban al-Adao, tried to block one of the main highways in Madinat - Nasr near the memorial to the Unknown Soldier. The protesters intended to set tents there, but the police did not allow them to do so and used a tear gas to disperse them.
According to the country’s law enforcement authorities, supporters of Mursi were the first to storm the police cordon, but Interior Ministry forces did not use the service weapons. At the same time, the Islamists pelted security forces with Molotov cocktails and opened about heavy fire from automatic weapons and shotguns against the police. Reports say about the death of a police officer and several wounded. Special forces were sent to stop the unrest.
The Muslim Brotherhood states on its official web page, the clashes with the security forces claimed 200 killed and about 4 thousand people injured.
On Friday, Head of Egypt's Interior Ministry Mohammed Ibrahim said they would shortly put an end “in compliance with the law” to the perpetual manifestations by the mosque and the Cairo University. There is no use from the Brothers’ rallies - Egypt will never turn back, he said. On Saturday very early morning, the Interior Ministry called on Egyptians within next 48 hours to avoid the areas of the Islamists’ demonstrations. In addition, the authoriry warned that anyone who seen with a gun in his or her hand or trying to attack security forces, would put their lives at risk.
On Friday, mass demonstrations against terrorism and in support of the army were organised throughout Egypt. The rallies attracted over 30 million people. In the country’s some provinces, clashes could not be avoided. In Alexandria, the clashes were near one of the most important mosques in the city, which is located near the waterfront.