Thousands of pro- and anti-Morsi demonstrators hold rallies in Cairo
Iran Press TV
Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:18PM GMT
Several thousand supporters and opponents of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi have staged rival rallies across the capital, Cairo.
Morsi’s supporters rallied on Friday outside the main mosque in the Nasr City District. For their part, a large number of opponents were also reported to have gathered in different parts of the volatile capital.
Meanwhile, followers of Egypt’s opposition set up tents in the city’s iconic Liberation Square. They plan to march toward the presidential palace.
The opposition groups have urged Morsi to step down and hold snap election. They accuse him of consolidating his power instead of addressing the country’s social and economic problems.
The main opposition coalition known as the National Salvation Front has rejected President Morsi's offer for dialogue.
"We are confident the Egyptian people will come out in their millions to hold peaceful demonstrations on all of Egypt's squares and streets to realize their aspirations and to put the 25 January revolution back on track," the opposition coalition said in a statement on Thursday.
The government has deployed thousands of troops in Cairo and other tense cities across the country. At least one person was killed and dozens more injured in violent clashes in northern Egypt late on Thursday.
Supporters and opponents of the president have been clashing with each other during recent demonstrations across the North African country.
The opposition accuses the government of being dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Morsi’s supporters, however, say the president is cleansing Egyptian institutions of corruption. They also believe that he needs time to put into practice the principles of the 2011 revolution.
JR/KA/SS
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
