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Two killed, over 670 injured in Egypt clashes

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Protestors confront riot police in Tahrir Square of Egyptian capital Cairo on Nov. 19, 2011. [Xinhua]

Clashes between Egyptian riot police and protesters have killed two people and injured more than 670 in the capital city and the country's second largest city Alexandria.

One protester was shot dead and at least 676 people were injured Saturday in clashes with police in Tahrir Square, downtown area of the Egyptian capital of Cairo, Health Ministry spokesman Mohamed El-Sheribini said.

Another demonstrator was killed and one injured early Sunday in protests in front of the security headquarters in northern port city Alexandria, MENA said Sunday, quoting Salama Abdel Moneim, a doctor and health ministry official in the northern port city.

Military police clashed with protesters in downtown Cairo's Tahrir Square Saturday, one day after a protest here demanding an early transfer of power to civilian rule. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowds, who set up a tent camp in the square to commemorate the hundreds of protesters killed in the 18-day unrest that ousted former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in February. Eighteen protesters have been reportedly arrested.

The Tahrir Square had been the central stage of the 18-day protests that led to the overthrow of Mubarak's 31-year-old rule.

Demonstrators threw stones at police and set police vehicles ablaze. Protests also swept Egypt's other major cities such as Aswan in the south, Alexandria in the north and Suez in the northeast.

The clashes came just several days before the country's first scheduled parliamentary elections on Nov. 28.

Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf called on the protesters to leave the square after the violence. However, more people marched into the square Saturday evening, blocking the roads near the square and halting traffic.

Earlier on Saturday, the security forces cleared the square, where a small group of protesters had stayed overnight and attempted to hold a sit-in Saturday morning.

Thousands of protesters were still at the square as of Saturday night.

Assistant Interior Minster Sami Sedhom blamed the violence on some parties wishing to create chaos and instability in the country to delay the coming elections, MENA said.

"The revolution has nothing to do with sabotage or burning security vehicles," he said.

On Saturday, the Egyptian government, in a statement broadcast on state TV, called on the protesters to let reason prevail, saying that what has happened was dangerous and had a direct impact on how the country and the revolution would fare.

It urged everyone to "return to reason and responsibility."

Egypt saw protests and violence recently as it prepared to start the legislative polls on Nov. 28. On Friday, tens of thousands of protesters rallied at Tahrir Square to protest a constitutional principles charter and military rule.

On Thursday, 29 people were injured as about 100 Copts clashed with residents during their march toward downtown Cairo to commemorate the Oct. 9 clashes, which left at least 25 dead.

The Interior Ministry has launched a crackdown campaign against outlaws in order to secure the elections.

Controversy over the constitutional principles was one reason behind the latest protests, as the opposition parties did not agree with the power granted to the military in its budget.

In line with the constitutional principles, the military and its budget would not be under civilian supervision.

Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Selmi said Saturday that a dialogue would be held in the coming few days with other political powers to reach an agreement on the amended document before submitting it to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces for ratification, MENA reported.

He added that a 100-member assembly to draft the new constitution would be elected by lawmakers.

According to the transition arrangements, the country's parliamentary elections will last until March 2012. A new constitution will be drafted and a referendum will be held over it. Afterwards, the country's new president will be elected.

But some political groups have called for an early transfer of power to a civilian government. The military had promised in February to return the country to civilian rule within six months.

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