Death toll from Cairo clashes rises to 51: Officials

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 8, 2013 3:42PM GMT

Egypt's emergency services say the death toll from the army’s Monday attack on supporters of the ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, in the capital, Cairo, has risen to 51.

Egypt’s Health Ministry and emergency services said on Monday that more than 50 people had been killed during the clashes between the army and Morsi supporters outside the Republican Guard barracks in Cairo.

The death toll rose to 51 after several people succumbed to their injuries at hospitals across the restive city.

Medical sources said the death toll is expected to rise as some of the injured are reported to be in critical condition.

The development came after the army opened fire on supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo, prompting the Brotherhood to call for an uprising against the military.

The army says it confronted a group of armed men who were trying to enter the building. An army spokesman also noted that a soldier and a police officer have been shot dead in the attack.

The Brotherhood leaders and field doctors, however, reject the claim, saying that troops tried to break a sit-in by supporters of ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, while they were preparing for prayers.

Doctors describe the incident as a massacre and say children are among the dead.

Meanwhile, the interim administration has expressed deep regret for those killed in the incident and said it has formed a judicial committee to investigate the event.

Outside Egypt, Turkey, the European Union, Qatar and Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, have all condemned the incident.

Egypt has been the scene of rival rallies and clashes between thousands of supporters and opponents of the ousted president as political turmoil escalates in the North African country.

Morsi was unseated on July 3, and the Chief Justice of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mansour, was sworn in as interim president of Egypt on July 4.

Morsi is reportedly being held “preventively” by the military. Senior army officials say he might face formal charges over accusations made by his opponents.

Several arrest warrants have been issued for the members of Muslim Brotherhood. Egyptian troops and security forces have recently expanded their roundup of top political figures from Muslim Brotherhood that had fielded Morsi for office.

JR/SS