[ 2012-05-05 ]

Curfew in Cairo after deadly clashes
CAIRO (AFP) - A Cairo district that witnessed
deadly clashes between protesters and soldiers
near the defence ministry was calm on Saturday
after an overnight curfew.

Soldiers and armoured personel carriers blocked
off a road leading to the ministry after the
curfew, imposed by the military following the
intense clashes on Friday, ended at 0500 GMT.

Hospital officials said two people were killed in
the fighting between stone throwing anti-military
protesters and the soldiers, who used birdshot and
tear gas to disperse them.

The health ministry said one person, a soldier,
was killed, and nearly 300 injured, including 131
treated in hospital.

The protesters had rallied to pressure the
military just weeks before the first presidential
election since a nationwide uprising toppled
president Hosni Mubarak last year and left the
military in power.

The ruling military council promised to hand power
to the election winner by the end of June, but
dissidents accuse it of wanting to remain in
control from behind the scenes.

The protest had joined a sit-in by supporters of
an Islamist candidate barred from standing in the
election because his mother was a dual citizen, in
violation of the electoral law.

The sit-in was attacked on Wednesday by men in
plainclothes in a confrontation that left seven
people dead, according to the health ministry.

Source - AFP

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