The army-backed interim government imposed a month-long nationwide state of emergency, and curfews in Cairo and 13 other provinces.

Shortly after the curfew ended on Thursday morning, light traffic began returning to Cairo's streets, with roads blocked for weeks by the pro-Morsi protests now reopened.

A health ministry official said at least 300 civilians had been killed throughout the country, updating an earlier toll. The interior ministry added that 43 security personnel had lost their lives.

Egypt's press carried photos Thursday of Morsi supporters brandishing weapons and throwing stones at police during the previous day's confrontations.

The day's violence was the worst since the 2011 uprising that ousted president Hosni Mubarak.

Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood spoke of 2,200 dead overall and more than 10,000 wounded.

The violence prompted vice president and Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei to resign, saying he was troubled over the loss of life, "particularly as I believe it could have been avoided".

The dramatic assault on the sit-ins shortly after dawn surprised many, coming after officials had described plans to gradually disperse the sit-ins over several days.

The operation began with security forces firing tear gas before surging into Rabaa al-Adawiya, sparking pandemonium among the thousands of protesters camping there in opposition to Morsi's July 3 ouster by the military.

After the worst of the violence, many Morsi supporters were given safe passage out of the camp, some flashing victory signs as they left.

By Wednesday evening, a security official said Rabaa al-Adawiya was "totally under control", adding: "There are no more clashes".

In the smaller of the protest camps, at Al-Nahda square in central Cairo, police said they had control of the area after two hours.

However the Brotherhood urged Egyptians to take to the streets in their thousands to denounce the "massacre".

NJF/NJF