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Government under pressure in Egypt as violence continues

Negotiations are continuing in Egypt after defiant pro-Morsi supporters vowed to sacrifice their ...
Newstalk
Newstalk

09.36 29 Jul 2013


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Government under pressure in E...

Government under pressure in Egypt as violence continues

Newstalk
Newstalk

09.36 29 Jul 2013


Share this article


Negotiations are continuing in Egypt after defiant pro-Morsi supporters vowed to sacrifice their "blood and souls" for the ousted president. After a weekend of violence, several thousand of Mohamed Morsi's supporters marched towards Cairo's military intelligence HQ on Sunday night - despite army warnings to stay away.

They chanted "Our blood and souls we sacrifice for Morsi" as they made their way towards the military HQ from the site of a peaceful vigil outside a mosque in northern Cairo.

Eventually the group turned back, but the march raises fears over what will happen next in the stand-off between the army and members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

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Protesters from the Anti-Coup Alliance of Islamist groups, which has organised the protests, has now called for a "million-person march" on Tuesday. They also called for marches on "security administration buildings" on Monday night.

EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton has flown into Egypt for talks as international pressure increases on the new regime over the weekend's bloodshed, which claimed more than 80 lives.

17-year-old among those killed

More than 70 died in street killings of Morsi supporters during a demonstration on Saturday, which followed a day of rival mass rallies. Government officials have rejected witness accounts that police fired on crowds and an investigation is under way.

There were further deaths on Sunday, including a 17-year-old who was killed in fighting between pro and anti-Morsi groups. The country's new rulers warned they would take "decisive and firm" action against protesters if they went beyond their right to peaceful demonstration.

EU Foreign Policy chief is in Egypt for talks

Egypt's vice presidency said Ms. Ashton would meet interim president Adly Mansour and Mohamed ElBaradei, who is vice president for international affairs. Mr ElBaradei has denounced the "excessive use of force" against protesters.

State news agency Mena said Ms. Ashton would also hold talks with members of the deposed president's Muslim Brotherhood and the Tamarod group, which organised protests that led to Mr. Morsi being overthrown by the army.

UN leader Ban Ki-moon warned Egypt's interim leadership on Sunday that every death made it harder to drag the country out of its crisis.

Mr Ban "expressed his profound concern about the direction in which the transition in Egypt is moving" and condemned the heightened violence, said UN spokeswoman Morana Song. But tensions remained high after Saturday's killings, the bloodiest incident since Mr. Morsi was overthrown on July 3rd.

Mr. Mansour's adviser Moustafa Hegazy told reporters the deaths were "saddening", but he dubbed the protest area where the deaths occurred a "terror-originating spot" and said: "We cannot decouple this from context of terrorism."


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