Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 

100s of Egyptian Protesters Killed by Police Forces, Anti-Government Protests Continue All Over the Country

August 16, 2013

Muslim Brotherhood calls for rallies across Egypt after day of bloodshed

By Crispian Balmer and Yasmine Saleh

 Fri Aug 16, 2013 10:10pm EDT

CAIRO (Reuters) -

The Muslim Brotherhood defiantly called for a week of protests across Egypt starting on Saturday, a day after more than 100 people died in clashes (in Cairo alone) between Islamists and the security forces that pushed the country ever closer to anarchy.

Undeterred by the bloodshed in which about 700 have been killed since Wednesday, the Brotherhood urged its supporters back onto the streets to denounce the overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi and a crackdown on his followers.

"Our rejection of the coup regime has become an Islamic, national and ethical obligation that we can never abandon," said the Brotherhood, which has accused Egypt's military of plotting the downfall of Mursi last month to regain the levers of power.

Many Western allies have denounced the killings, including the United States, but Saudi Arabia threw its weight behind the army-backed government on Friday, accusing its old foe the Muslim Brotherhood of trying to destabilize Egypt.

Violence erupted across Egypt after the Brotherhood, which has deep roots in the provinces, called for a "Day of Rage". Roughly 50 people died in Cairo and more than 20 in the country's second city, Alexandria, security sources said.

Automatic gunfire echoed around the capital throughout Friday afternoon, army helicopters swooped over the roof tops and at least one office block was set ablaze, lighting up the night sky long after the violence had subsided.

The Brotherhood announced a series of daily rallies over the next six days, starting on Saturday.

"We will not leave the squares. And we will not be silent over our rights, ever," said Cairo resident Abdullah Abdul Fattah, adding that he was not a Brotherhood voter.

"We are here because of our brothers who died," he said.

An interim cabinet, installed by the army after it removed Mursi during rallies against his often chaotic rule, has refused to back down. It has authorized police to use live ammunition to defend themselves and state installations.

ANGER

After weeks of futile, political mediation, police moved on Wednesday to clear two Brotherhood protest sit-ins in Cairo. Almost 600 people, most of them Islamists, were killed in the mayhem. With no compromise in sight, the most populous Arab nation - which is often seen as leading events in the entire region - looks increasingly polarized and angry.

"Egypt fighting terrorism," said a new logo plastered on state television, reflecting tougher language in the local media that was once reserved for militant groups such as al Qaeda.

The government said in a statement it was confronting the "Muslim Brotherhood's terrorist plan".

Undermining Brotherhood pledges of peaceful resistance, armed men were seen firing from the ranks of pro-Mursi supporters in Cairo on Friday. A security official said at least 24 policemen had died over the past 24 hours, and 15 police stations attacked.

The Brotherhood suggested the gunmen had been planted by the security forces, saying it remained committed to non-violence.

Witnesses also said Mursi backers had ransacked a Catholic church and set fire to an Anglican church in the city of Malawi. The Brotherhood, which has been accused of inciting anti-Christian sentiment, denies targeting churches.

Christians make up roughly 10 percent of Egypt's 84-million population and the Coptic Church authority issued a statement on Friday saying it "strongly supports the Egyptian police and armed forces".

The streets of Cairo fell quiet after nightfall, with the government warning the dusk-to-dawn curfew would be vigorously enforced. Neighborhood watch schemes sprouted up, and residents stopped and searched cars driving past their communities.

Egypt has lurched from one crisis to another since the downfall of the autocratic Hosni Mubarak in 2011, dealing repeated blows to the economy, particularly tourism.

A number of tour operators have suspended all holidays to Egypt until at least next month and the United States has urged its citizens to leave the country.

The European Union asked its states to consider "appropriate measures" to take in reaction to the violence, while Germany said it was reconsidering its ties.

(Additional reporting by Michael Georgy, Alexander Dziadosz, Tom Finn, Yasmine Saleh, Mohamed Abdellah, Ahmed Tolba and Omar Fahmy in Cairo, Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by David Stamp)

 

Egyptian Islamists call for rolling protests against govt

FRANCE 24/Mehdi Chebil

August 16, 2013

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood called on supporters to keep staging protests indefinitely in the wake of new, deadly clashes Friday that left over 60 people dead across the country (according to an early report). European ministers are planning a coordinated response to the violence.

Egyptian Islamists ousted from power last month vowed on Friday to repeat protests indefinitely, after Cairo became the scene of another deadly crackdown – with security forces and government supporters battling against protesters loyal to ousted president Mohammed Morsi.

The fresh wave of violence came two days after 578 people were killed when police cleared protest camps set up by loyalists of the deposed Islamist leader.

From our correspondent in Cairo: 'Quiet across the city'

Demonstrators gathered by the thousands in Ramses Square in downtown Cairo on Friday, responding to a call by Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood to take part in a “day of rage”.

Following Friday prayers the protesters came under fire, with many wounded being hurried off into the nearby Al-Fat'h Mosque, which was turned into a makeshift clinic and morgue.

Muslim Brotherhood spokeswoman Mona al-Qazzaz told FRANCE 24 by telephone from London that her group would “stand defiant and stand peacefully” against the crimes of the army-ruled government, including today’s assault.

But Egypt's cabinet issued a defiant statement, saying it was confronting a “terrorist plot”.

The official death toll climbed past 60 across the country, with most of the casualties in the capital of Cairo. However, there were also reports of deaths in the cities of Alexandria, Fayoum, Damietta and Ismailia.

While most of those killed were civilian protestors, authorities said 24 policemen had been killed in the past 24 hours.

The Muslim Brotherhood called on supporters to end protests on Friday as the army-imposed curfew began at 7 p.m. local time, but vowed to return to the streets.

"We call on the Egyptian people and national forces to protest daily until the coup ends,” the Brotherhood said in a statement.

EU preparing response

EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said that responsibility for Egypt's unfolding tragedy weighed heavily on the interim government, as well as the country’s wider political leadership.

She called on European foreign ministers to quickly meet and prepare coordinated measures on the situation. French President François Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron later issued a joint statement calling for a “strong European message”.

However, the kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Jordan issued statements defending the ruling interim government, labeling the protests “terrorism”.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its people and government stood and stand by today with its brothers in Egypt against terrorism,” Saudi King Abdullah said in message read out on Saudi television.