Egypt interim presidency "saddened" by Cairo clashes
Iran Press TV
Sun Jul 28, 2013 6:20PM
Egypt's interim presidency, though linking the killings to "terrorism," has expressed its deep sorrow over the death of at least 72 people during Saturday clashes.
'We are saddened by the spilling of blood on the 27th, but we cannot decouple this incident from the context of terrorism,' Mostafa Hegazy, an adviser to the new interim government, said on Sunday.
According to Egypt's health ministry, at least 72 people were killed after clashes erupted during a pro-Morsi sit-in, in Nasr city of Cairo on Saturday.
Muslim Brotherhood accused the security forces of using live ammunition on demonstrators during the mass rallies, which swept Egypt to condemn Morsi's overthrow by the army. However, the interior ministry denied the claims, saying the forces only used tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Hegazy further added that the interim government "would be taking a stance after investigation ends, regardless of whoever is found responsible."
He also described Cairo's Nasr City, where the protests had occurred, as a "terror-originating spot," saying, "There is a wave of terror and we will break this wave."
"The government is exhausting every single channel to find a solution to save blood and save face," Hegazy concluded.
The Egyptian interim interior minister said on July 27 that the sit-in protests in the capital Cairo by the supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi will be 'brought to an end soon and in a legal manner.'
Muslim Brotherhood activists and their supporters have been staging sit-in protests at Nasr City and al-Nahda Square in Cairo for weeks, demanding Morsi to be reinstated.
The North African country has been the scene of increasing violence since the head of Egypt's armed forces, General Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, said on July 3 that Morsi was no longer in office and appointed the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mansour, as the new interim president.
According to the Egyptian sources, at least 150 people have been killed and 5,200 others wounded in unabated clashes between the supporters and opponents of Mohamed Morsi across the country.
MM/PR
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