Dozens of Protesters Killed in Egypt After Security Forces Open Fire
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iStockphoto/Thinkstock(CAIRO) — Dozens of protesters are dead and hundreds more wounded in Egypt after security forces opened fire on a Muslim Brotherhood rally early Saturday.
The protesters were camped outside of a mosque in Cairo demanding the return of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi when, security forces launched a pre-dawn raid against them.
Before the raid began, the Interior Minister appeared on a local TV stations to announce that there would be a move to clear that area in accordance with the law, complete with a decision announced by the public prosecutor beforehand. The BBC’s Jim Muir was in Cairo, and says “none of that happened.”
Security forces used tear gas and live rounds to clear the protesters from Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque in eastern Cairo. Muir said it was unclear whether that was the plan from the beginning or if “it’s just a clash that’s broken out on the ground because tensions are so very high [in Cairo] at the moment.”
Doctors at the scene said there were 65 deaths, while Muslim Brotherhood sources said that more than 120 people were killed, according to BBC News.
The Muslim brotherhood has accused soldiers of shooting to kill, a claim that the government denies.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio