الرئيسية
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian police and soldiers fired weapons and used
batons and teargas for a fifth day on Tuesday in the latest security
operation to clear Cairo's central Tahrir Square of opponents of army
rule.
The sound of heavy gunfire rang out across the square as armed
security forces charged hundreds of protesters attempting to hold their
ground, activists and a Reuters witness said.
"Hundreds of state security forces and the army entered the square
and began firing heavily. They chased protesters and burned anything in
their way, including medical supplies and blankets," protester Ismail
said by telephone.
Before the latest security charge, protesters had been trying to tear
down a brick wall the army had put up to block access to parliament,
which is located beside the square.
A security source told Reuters some protesters wanted to remove the wall in order to reach parliament and destroy it.
Medical sources have said 13 people have been killed since Friday,
but the protesters say the latest attack produced more casualties. "Some
of those who fell had gunshot wounds to the legs," Ismail said.
Hundreds more were wounded and scores have been detained in attempts
to disperse protests in and around Tahrir Square, hub of the uprising
that ousted Hosni Mubarak in February.
Politicians and members of parliament who had been staging a sit-in
nearby tried to enter the square but were forced to turn back as the
pitched gun battle raged on, Ismail said.
batons and teargas for a fifth day on Tuesday in the latest security
operation to clear Cairo's central Tahrir Square of opponents of army
rule.
The sound of heavy gunfire rang out across the square as armed
security forces charged hundreds of protesters attempting to hold their
ground, activists and a Reuters witness said.
"Hundreds of state security forces and the army entered the square
and began firing heavily. They chased protesters and burned anything in
their way, including medical supplies and blankets," protester Ismail
said by telephone.
Before the latest security charge, protesters had been trying to tear
down a brick wall the army had put up to block access to parliament,
which is located beside the square.
A security source told Reuters some protesters wanted to remove the wall in order to reach parliament and destroy it.
Medical sources have said 13 people have been killed since Friday,
but the protesters say the latest attack produced more casualties. "Some
of those who fell had gunshot wounds to the legs," Ismail said.
Hundreds more were wounded and scores have been detained in attempts
to disperse protests in and around Tahrir Square, hub of the uprising
that ousted Hosni Mubarak in February.
Politicians and members of parliament who had been staging a sit-in
nearby tried to enter the square but were forced to turn back as the
pitched gun battle raged on, Ismail said.