The Egyptian security forces tried to evacuate the mosque on Saturday after it turned to a refuge for thousands of supporters of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi.

Male and female officers inspected the people as they were leaving the mosque and made several arrests from those who were carrying weapons.

The security forces also allowed a medical team to help the wounded people and moved them to hospitals nearby.

The siege of the al-Fateh mosque in the Ramsis area comes at the end of a day of clashes between security forces and Morsi supporters that left over 80 people dead.

Security officials said armed elements are shooting security forces and police from inside the mosque.

But Morsi's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) appealed for the prevention of another "massacre" after more than 600 people were killed nationwide on Wednesday when police cleared protest camps set up by Morsi loyalists.

The FJP said in a statement there were "thousands of people trapped in Fateh mosque" and that shooting had been ongoing for "more than an hour without interruption."

It urged "anyone to do anything to make (the security forces) go back... It is clear that there is an intention to repeat the Rabaa massacre," the group said in reference to the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque - the Morsi loyalists' main protest camp where more than 200 people were killed on Wednesday.

Tension has intensified in Egypt since July 3, when army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi removed Morsi from office, suspended the constitution and dissolved the parliament.

NTJ/SHI