Egypt police shoot protesters, casualties feared

Egypt police shoot protesters, casualties feared
Sat Oct 12, 2013 09:11:21

Egyptian security forces have opened fired on protesters across the North African nation as supporters of military-ousted elected president Mohamed Morsi waged fresh demonstrations against the military rule.

A teenage protester, identified as Belal Ali Jaber, was reported killed and several others wounded on Friday after security forces used live ammunitions to disperse crowds in Cairo's Nasr City.

Meanwhile, several other protesters were also feared dead during clashes that erupted between demonstrators and police officers in Alexandria.

The violent clashes broke out after police forces tried to stop Morsi's supporters from reaching Cairo's Liberation Square.

This came after large crowds of pro-Morsi demonstrators gathered in the capital, Cairo, and the country's second largest city of Alexandria after Friday Prayers to renew calls for the reinstatement of Morsi.

Several violent clashes and fierce skirmishes have been reported in Alexandria and its adjacent areas.

The army-backed government has beefed up security around the capital and warned protesters of a harsh crackdown if they attack any government buildings.

The protesters also condemned the interim government’s harsh crackdown on Morsi’s supporters and Muslim Brotherhood leaders and members.

The fresh rallies come after the pro-Morsi group known as the Egypt Anti-Coup Alliance urged its supporters to stage mass rallies on Friday across the North African country.

The situation in Egypt remains tense months after the country’s first democratically-elected president was ousted by the military.

Egypt has been experiencing unrelenting violence since July 3, when the army ousted Morsi’s government, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the parliament. It also appointed the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mahmoud Mansour, as the new interim president.

The government of Mansour has launched a bloody crackdown on Morsi supporters and arrested thousands of Brotherhood members, including the party’s leader, Mohamed Badie, who was detained on August 20.

Hundreds of supporters of the group have been killed in clashes with army since then. Also, on Sunday, at least 57 people died in clashes between security forces and Morsi's supporters.

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