15 August 2013

EGYPT CRISIS - Horrifying moment Egyptian protestors pushed an armoured police van 50ft off a bridge before officers were stoned by mob







Horrifying moment Egyptian protestors pushed an armoured police van 50ft off a bridge before officers were stoned by mob


  • -  The van was pushed off the 6th of October Bridge in the Egyptian capital of Cairo during
       clashes 
  • -  After it landed, protesters attacked it and threw stones at the wreckage while under fire
       from police 
  • -  Not clear how many people were on board or their injuries although reports claim on
       Twitter that five died 
  • -  149 people have died across country after security forces raided camps set up by ousted
       Morsi supporters 
  • -  Sky cameraman Mick Deane, a 61 year old father of two, was shot and killed as he reported
       on the violence




This is the horrifying moment an armoured police vehicle was pushed off a bridge by protestors in Cairo today.  
Video footage shows the van plunging off the 6th October Bridge before demonstrators attacked the wreckage. It is not known if how many people were on board and how many people survived the fall, but disturbing images shows bloodied men lying around the van moments afterwards. 

Unconfirmed reports claimed five officers were killed. As violence across the capital escalated, Egypt announced a month-long state of emergency across the nation on state TV from 2pm. More than 1,400 people have been injured nationwide and the government said 149 were dead.

One of those was Sky cameraman Mick Deane, who was covering clashes between security forces and protectors, was shot dead this morning. Mr Deane, 61, who was married with two sons, was with Middle East correspondent Sam Kiley when he was shot.

Meanwhile Egypt's vice president and pro-reform leader Mohamed ElBaradei resigned in protest at the raids saying he would not be held responsible for a 'single drop of blood'.


Scroll down for video


The police vehicle crashes through a fence as it is pushed off the 6th of October bridge in Cairo by protesters as violence in the capital escalated
The police vehicle crashes through a fence as it is pushed off the 6th of October bridge in Cairo by protesters as violence in the capital escalated


The van, which was filled with security officers, plunged upside-down to the ground while men on the bridge waved their arms
The van, which was filled with security officers, plunged upside-down to the ground while men on the bridge waved their arms


It comes as security forces and protestors demanding the reinstatement of deposed President Mohamed Morsi battled around the streets of Cairo. The dramatic pictures of the van show it being ambushed by dozens of people before crashing through a protective fence on the bridge. 

    It then falls upside-down and then rolls onto its roof as it lands. Blood can then be seen on the ground as nearby police officers pull injured men out of the crushed vehicle.  

    An amateur video posted on YouTube shows the van land amid chaotic scenes where hundreds of protestors were clashing with police below the bridge. Dozens immediately run over the wreckage and continue to throw stones and missiles at the van while under fire from the security forces. 


    Protests were continuing under the bridge as the vehicle crashed to the ground
    Protests were continuing under the bridge as the vehicle crashed to the ground


    This disturbing image circulated on Twitter shows troops swooping on the car wreck as injured officers lie on the ground
    This disturbing image circulated on Twitter shows troops swooping on the car wreck as injured officers lie on the ground


    Debris and oil can be seen around he van a member of the security forces inspects the damage while another lies on the ground
    Debris and oil can be seen around the van as a member of the security forces inspects the damage while another lies on the ground


    Following the death of Mr Deane, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter: 'I am saddened to hear of the death of cameraman Mick Deane, covering Egyptian violence. My thoughts are with his family and SkyNews team.'

    British Sky cameraman Mick Deane was shot and killed as he covered the clashes today
    British Sky cameraman Mick Deane was shot and killed as he covered the clashes today
    Head of Sky News John Ryley described Deane as 'the very best of cameramen, a brilliant journalist and an inspiring mentor to many at Sky'.

    Sky said the rest of the team covering the outbreak of violence in Cairo with him were unhurt.

    At least 95 Egyptians have been killed in clashes between the security forces and supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi and the death toll continues to rise. 

    Independent observers put the death toll much higher.
    Hundreds more have been injured as officers moved in to clear camps of protesters in a dawn raid, ending a six-week standoff in Cairo. 

    Troops opened fire on demonstrators in clashes that brought chaos to areas of the capital and looked certain to further polarise Egypt's 84million people between those who backed Morsi and the millions who opposed his brief rule.

    In the streets around the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in northeast Cairo, thousands of Morsi supporters had staged a sit-in for the past six weeks. 

    This morning riot police violently dispersed the camps. 

    At a hospital morgue near the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque, a Reuters reporter counted 29 bodies, including that of a 12-year-old boy. 

    Most had died of gunshot wounds to the head. A nurse at the same hospital had said she counted 60 bodies, and expected the number to rise.

    The unrest spread beyond the capital, with the cities of Minya and Assiut, and Alexandria on the northern coast, also affected. Seventeen people were killed in the province of Fayoum south of Cairo. Five more died in Suez.
    Mohamed El-Beltagi, a leader of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood movement that led the protests, warned of wider conflict and singled out the head of the armed forces, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who deposed Morsi on July 3 following mass protests that called for his resignation.

    'I swear by God that if you stay in your homes, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will embroil this country so that it becomes Syria. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will push this nation to a civil war so that he escapes the gallows.'


    At least 95 people have been killed today after security forces raided camps
    At least 95 people have been killed today after security forces raided camps set by supporters of ousted President Morsi, near the Rabaa Adawiya mosque in Cairo


    Muslim Brotherhood leaders warned today of further protests after the camps were forcibly disbanded by security forces
    Muslim Brotherhood leaders warned today of further protests after the camps were forcibly disbanded by security forces


    Nine hours after the start of the operation, crowds of protesters were still blocking roads, chanting and waving flags as security forces sought to prevent them from regrouping.

    PM LEADS TRIBUTES TO SKY MAN

    British Sky cameraman Mick Deane was shot and killed as he covered the clashes today
    Tributes have been paid to a Sky News cameraman who was shot dead in Cairo while covering clashes between Egyptian security forces and protesters.
    Mick Deane, 61, who was married with two sons, died this morning. 
    Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter: ‘I am saddened to hear of the death of cameraman Mick Deane, covering Egyptian violence. My thoughts are with his family and Sky News team.’
    Head of Sky News John Ryley described Mr Deane as ‘the very best of cameramen, a brilliant journalist and an inspiring mentor to many at Sky’.
    Mr Deane, who had worked for the broadcaster for 15 years including stints in Washington and Jerusalem, was with Middle East correspondent Sam Kiley when he was shot.
    Sky said the rest of the team covering the outbreak of violence in Cairo with him were unhurt.
    Mr Ryley said: ‘Everyone at Sky News is shocked and saddened by Mick's death. He was a talented and experienced journalist who had worked with Sky News for many years. 
    ‘The loss of a much-loved colleague will be deeply felt across Sky News. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family. We will give them our full support at this extremely difficult time.’
    Channel 4 News reporter Matt Frei said on Twitter: ‘So shocked and sad to hear that my old friend Mick Deane has been killed in Cairo. Great friend, great cameraman. He survived cancer.’
    Speaking on Sky News, its Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall said he was ‘a gentleman’.
    He said: ‘Yeah, he was a cameraman-journalist but more than anything the guy was funny, he was wise, he kept his counsel, when he gave his counsel it was well worth listening to and he was just a guy you liked being around. That's pretty high tribute.’
    He added: ‘Micky Deane was a great cameraman, but he was - which is far more important - a great human being.’
    And Sky News Asia correspondent Mark Stone said on Twitter: 'Mick Deane will be missed terribly. Such a lovely man and someone from whom I and many others learnt so much. 
    ‘So many fond memories of Mick. One that sticks out was an odd trip chasing a man in a balloon in Normandy. A fun trip. And a safe one too.’
    'At 7 am they came. Helicopters from the top and bulldozers from below. They smashed through our walls. 

    'Police and soldiers, they fired tear gas at children,' said teacher Saleh Abdulaziz, 39, clutching a bleeding wound on his head.

    'They continued to fire at protesters even when we begged them to stop.'

    The West, notably the United States which gives the Egyptian military $1.3 billion each year, has been alarmed by the recent violence in the strategic Arab ally that has a peace treaty with Israel and controls the vital Suez Canal waterway.

    Meanwhile, following the death of the cameraman, speaking on a visit to the Commonwealth Games site in Glasgow, Prime Minister David Cameron told reporters: 'I want to say how sorry I am about the death of Mick Deane.

    'It is an incredibly brave and important job he was doing. It is essential that cameramen are in places like Egypt because otherwise none of us would know what is happening.  But obviously our thoughts should be with his family and friends at this very, very difficult time for them.'

    The Prime Minister also condemned today's violence in Egypt. He said: 'Looking more broadly at the situation in Egypt, this violence is not going to solve anything. What is required in Egypt is a genuine transition to a genuine democracy. 

    'That means compromise from all sides - the President Morsi supporters but also the military - that's what needs to happen. We don't support this violence, we condemn it completely, it's not going to solve the problems.'

    Channel 4 News reporter Matt Frei said on Twitter: 'So shocked and sad to hear that my old friend Mick Deane has been killed in Cairo. Great friend, great cameraman. He survived cancer.'

    Mr Deane was born in Hanover, Germany, and lived in Northamptonshire. He had been stationed in Jerusalem since 2011.

    The interim Egyptian government has declared a month-long state of emergency across the country this afternoon in response to the trouble. The announcement was made on state television.

    An overnight curfew from 7pm local time until 6am has been put in place in Cairo and across 10 provinces including Alexandria and Suez but it is doubtful whether protestors will obey that.

    Vice president Mohamed Elboradel is reported to have resigned following today's trouble. Medics have been treating scores of injured people wearing gas masks and swimming goggles to protect themselves from tear gas while they work.

    Security forces are said to be armed with machine guns, M16 rifles and AK47s and are reported to have been firing on crowds. Although the smaller of the two camps was cleared relatively quickly, fierce violence broke out at the larger camp at Rabaa al-Adawiya.

    The violence is the latest indication that the country could be heading for all out civil war after weeks of clashes between pro-Morsi protestors and security forces following the ousting of the president.

    At the biggest camp in northeast Cairo, security forces fired tear gas as police helicopters circled above and army vehicles were stationed nearby. The state news agency said security forces were implementing a phased plan to disperse the protesters.

    According to Sky News, snipers have been seen on rooftops close to the camps and the sound of machine-gun fire has been heard.

    Sky correspondent Mr Kiley said that scores of people are being treated for gunshot wounds at a makeshift clinic set up in a mosque at the main camp site.

    He described the 'extreme horror' of the situation and said that many of the injured have bullet wounds to the head, neck and upper body and that many are dead.

    He said: 'The crowd continues to come and go from the street with most women and children now cowering behind improvised sniper curtains of the sort one would have seen in Sarajevo and have seen in Aleppo and I think the comparison is justly made.

    'The scenes here are what you would expect from a country that is in a state of war not a country that has been enduring vociferous protests against a coup that was launched at the beginning of July against the unpopular and increasingly autocratic but nonetheless democratically elected president Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood.'

    According to the Telegraph, Hoda Saki, a 28-year-old English teacher whose father is still in the camp, said that she had been fired upon when she tried to re-enter the camp.

    She said: 'He called us to say they are shooting at the tents and using tear gas. There are women and children inside. They can't count the injuries because there are so many of them.

    The movement's spokesman Gehad El-Haddad took to Twitter claiming that more than 5,000 people have been injured.
    He described today's violence as an unprecedented 'bloody brutal massacre'.


    An Egyptian woman tries to stop a military bulldozer from going forward during clashes that broke out
    An Egyptian woman tries to stop a military bulldozer from going forward during clashes that broke out


    Violence:
    Violence: A protester comes to the aid of a wounded as security forces clear a sit-in by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in the eastern Nasr City district of Cairo


    Battle
    Battle: Egyptian security forces are said to have opened fire on mostly unarmed protestors in the operation which began shortly after 7am local time


    War zone
    War zone: Although the number of dead is unconfirmed, burned corpses have been seen on the streets which resemble a war zone


    Turmoil:
    Turmoil: The state news agency said security forces were implementing a phased plan to disperse the protesters, which is almost certain to deepen political turmoil in Egypt


    A protester carries copies of the Quran as the Egyptian security forces clear the site
    A protester carries copies of the Quran as the Egyptian security forces clear the site


    Defiant: A handcuffed protester sits on the ground as Egyptian security forces move in
    Defiant: A handcuffed protester sits on the ground as Egyptian security forces move in


    Horror: Screams of terror could be heard as the early crackdown began on the protestors
    Horror: Screams of terror could be heard as the early crackdown began on the protestors


    Black smoke billowed from the scene as the security forces made their way through the camp
    Black smoke billowed from the scene as the security forces made their way through the camp


    Protection: Riot police and army soldiers protect themselves with riot shields as members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi throw stones during clashes around the area of Rabaa Adawiya square
    Protection: Riot police and army soldiers protect themselves with riot shields as members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi throw stones during clashes around the area of Rabaa Adawiya square


    'Saddened': David Cameron tweeted his sorrow over the death of cameraman Mick Deane earlier today
    'Saddened': David Cameron tweeted his sorrow over the death of cameraman Mick Deane earlier today


    Fighting back: Supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood gesture as Egyptian security forces (unseen) move in to disperse their protest camp
    Fighting back: Supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood gesture as Egyptian security forces (unseen) move in to disperse their protest camp


    Emergency response: Egyptian forces pull a fire hose as they attempt to clear a sit-in by demonstrators
    Emergency response: Egyptian forces pull a fire hose as they attempt to clear a sit-in by demonstrators


    Anger: Protestors hurl missiles at security forces who came to clear their protest camps in Cairo this morning
    Anger: Protestors hurl missiles at security forces who came to clear their protest camps in Cairo this morning


    Carnage: Debris burns in the street after an operation to remove two camps of Pro-Morsi protestors descended into violence
    Carnage: Debris burns in the street after an operation to remove two camps of Pro-Morsi protestors descended into violence


    Riots: Armoured police vans stand by as tents and debris from the camp burn in Cairo
    Riots: Armoured police vans stand by as tents and debris from the camp burn in Cairo


    Line-up: Egyptian security forces detain protesters as they clear the sit-in by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi
    Line-up: Egyptian security forces detain protesters as they clear the sit-in by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi


    Inferno: A fire rages in a protest tent at the camp near Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque
    Inferno: A fire rages in a protest tent at the camp near Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque


    Crowds: Protestors disperse as tear gas is fired at them by police vehicles
    Crowds: Protestors disperse as tear gas is fired at them by police vehicles


    Trouble: Small fires burn on the road as demonstrators are forced from their protest camp
    Trouble: Small fires burn on the road as demonstrators are forced from their protest camp


    A police vehicle topples from a bridge during trouble in the Egyptian capital earlier today
    A police vehicle topples from a bridge during trouble in the Egyptian capital earlier today


    Terrifying: Protestors throw a police vehicle off a bridge in Cairo earlier today
    Terrifying: Protestors throw a police vehicle off a bridge in Cairo earlier today


    Falling: Demonstrators watch over the edge of the bridge as the police vehicle plummets to the ground
    Falling: Demonstrators watch over the edge of the bridge as the police vehicle plummets to the ground


    Horrific: Security forces rush to the aid of one of those hurt when the vehicle went over the bridge
    Horrific: Security forces rush to the aid of one of those hurt when the vehicle went over the bridge


    Defiance: A police vehicle lies on its roof after it is pushed off a bridge onto the road below by supporters of ousted President Morsi. The vehicle was full of soldiers
    Defiance: A police vehicle lies on its roof after it is pushed off a bridge onto the road below by supporters of ousted President Morsi. The vehicle was full of soldiers


    Helicopters have been hovering above Cairo and using tear gas on protestors
    Missiles: Members of the Muslim Brotherhood throw stones at riot police during clashes around Cairo University and Nahdet Misr Square
    Missiles: A police helicopter is pictured hovering above Cairo, which have been distributing tear gas on protestors from above, left. Members of the Muslim Brotherhood throw stones at riot police during clashes around Cairo University and Nahdet Misr Square, right


    A security vehicle fires tear gas into the crowds as Muslim Brotherhood supporters flee
    A security vehicle fires tear gas into the crowds as Muslim Brotherhood supporters flee


    Supporter: A lone female protestor chants slogans as debris burns around her
    Supporter: A lone female protestor chants slogans as debris burns around her


    Confrontation: Supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi clash with Egyptian riot police on a street leading to Rabaa al-Adawiya
    Confrontation: Supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi clash with Egyptian riot police on a street leading to Rabaa al-Adawiya


    Dangerous: Demonstrators look up at a burning vehicle perched precariously on the edge of a bridge
    Dangerous: Demonstrators look up at a burning vehicle perched precariously on the edge of a bridge


    Swept aside: Army bulldozers remove a barricade errected by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi during clashes with riot police at Cairo's Mustafa Mahmoud Square
    Swept aside: Army bulldozers remove a barricade errected by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi during clashes with riot police at Cairo's Mustafa Mahmoud Square


    Arrest: Egyptian security forces arrest supporters of Egypt' s ousted president Mohamed Morsi at Nahda Square in Cairo
    Arrest: Egyptian security forces arrest supporters of Egypt' s ousted president Mohamed Morsi at Nahda Square in Cairo


    Two men are arrested with their hands bound as the forces moved through the camp
    Two men are arrested with their hands bound as the forces moved through the camp


    According to local media reports, one soldier and dozens of protesters were killed and about 200 others arrested
    According to local media reports, one soldier and dozens of protesters were killed and about 200 others arrested


    Supporters and members of the Muslim Brotherhood run from tear gas smoke shot by police to disperse a pro-Morsi camp
    Supporters and members of the Muslim Brotherhood run from tear gas smoke shot by police to disperse a pro-Morsi camp


    Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, had just completed one year in office when he was toppled
    Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, had just completed one year in office when he was toppled


    'With my own eyes, I saw snipers on the roofs shooting down. When we tried to get back in, they shot at us.'
    Journalists had also confirmed earlier that they had been shot at.

    As well as Sky cameraman Mr Deane, a 26-year-old reporter for XPRESS, Habiba Ahmed Abd Elaziz, was also killed in the violence.

    Gulf News confirmed that the reporter was not on assignment at the time, but was killed while on home leave in Cairo.
    In addition to hails of automatic weapon fire, smoke has been seen billowing from both camps with images of protestors tents and piles of tyres on fire.

    While security forces have confirmed the deaths of two of their personnel, casualty figures are currently unclear with various figures being quoted by different parties.

    The Muslim Brotherhood's estimate of the number dead continues to rise, with the group claiming that as many as 2,200 have been killed.


    Surrender: A protester comes out of a camp site as Egyptian security forces move in to clear one of the two sit-in sites of supporters of ousted president Morsi supporters, at Nahda square, near Cairo University
    Surrender: A protester comes out of a camp site as Egyptian security forces move in to clear one of the two sit-in sites of supporters of ousted president Morsi supporters, at Nahda square, near Cairo University


    Protest camp: A general view shows smoke rising from Rabaa Adawiya square as security forces move in to clear it
    Protest camp: A general view shows smoke rising from Rabaa Adawiya square as security forces move in to clear it


    So far, official lines on the number of deaths have played down casualties.

    A statement from senior Health Ministry official, Ahmed el-Ansari, who earlier said that four people have been killed and 50 injured at both sites.

    Official updates later said that seven have died.

    The latest Egyptian Health Ministry statement has confirmed that 149 people have died and in excess of 1,403 are injured.

    There have also been reports that the violence is beginning to spread outside of Cairo, with reports of further clashes involving Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Minya, Assiut, Sohag and Fayoum.


    Taking control: Egyptian security forces walk past a protesters' checkpoint as they move in to clear one of the two sit-in sites
    Taking control: Egyptian security forces walk past a protesters' checkpoint as they move in to clear one of the two sit-in sites


    Clearing out: Members of the Egyptian security forces point to a box of glass bottles believed to be prepared for Molotov cocktails
    Clearing out: Members of the Egyptian security forces point to a box of glass bottles believed to be prepared for Molotov cocktails


    Egyptian security forces remove a road blocks close to one of the camps
    Egyptian security forces remove a road blocks close to one of the camps


    A church is said to have been set on fire in Minya, some 250km south west of Cairo.

    TRIBUTES PAID TO KILLED CAMERAMAN MICK DEANE

    Fellow journalists and politicians took to Twitter this afternoon to pay tribute to Mick Deane, the Sky News photographer killed in Cairo today, here are a selection of posts: 
    ITV presenter Julie Etchingham: 'Thoughts and prayers with colleagues and friends @skynews and all those who worked with cameraman Mick Deane - terrible news'
    Foreign Secretary William Hague: 'Saddened by the death of Sky News cameraman Mick Deane in Cairo. My thoughts are with his family and @skynews colleagues at this tragic time.'
    Prime Minister David Cameron: 'I am saddened to hear of the death of cameraman Mick Deane, covering Egyptian violence. My thoughts are with his family and @SkyNews team.'
    Channel 4 News reporter Matt Frei: 'So shocked and sad to hear that my old friend Mick Deane has been killed in Cairo. Great friend, great cameraman. He survived cancer.'
    Meanwhile, a morgue official at a hospital in the province of Fayoum, south of Cairo, confirmed this afternoon that nine people have died there in violence.

    Supporters of President Morsi are said to have fought with security officers at a police station in the province.
    Saad Kannel said that the death toll there had risen from seven earlier.

    A further five Morsi supporters have died in an outbreak of violence in Suez, in the north-east of the country. Witnesses say that an armoured vehicle was set on fire.

    A council building is also said to have been stormed in Alexandria where hundreds of Morsi supporters have taken to the streets.

    Police have reportedly fired tear gas on Morsi supporters there and residents are said to have helped police by arming themselves with clubs and restraining protestors.
    The simultaneous actions by the Egyptian forces - at the pro-Morsi encampment in Nasr City and at the site outside the main campus of Cairo University in Giza - began at around 7am local time.

    Regional television networks had been broadcasting images of collapsed tents and burning tires at both sites, with ambulances on standby. 

    Footage showed dozens of protesters being arrested and led away by black-clad policemen. 

    State television showed footage of some dozen protesters, mostly bearded, cuffed and sitting on a sidewalk under guard outside the Cairo University campus. 

    The smaller of the two camps was cleared of protesters by late morning, with most of them taking refuge in the nearby Orman botanical gardens and inside the sprawling campus of Cairo University. 

    Security forces remained on the fringes of the other camp in the eastern Nasr City district after it showered the encampment with tear gas. 

    Television pictures showed thousands of protesters congregating at the heart of the site, with many wearing gas masks or covering their faces to fend off the tear gas. 

    A security official, who spoke anonymously, said earlier today that as many as 200 protestors had been arrested.


    Clashes:
    Clashes: The violence is the latest indication that the country could be heading for all out civil war after weeks of clashes between pro-Morsi protestors and security forces following the ousting of the president


    Destroyed: S
    Destroyed: Smoke rises as a tent burns at one of the two sites of the sit-in by the Egyptians supporting ousted president Morsi at Nahda square


    Operation:
    Operation: The clearance operation began shortly after dawn when security forces surrounded the sprawling Rabaa al-Adawiya camp in east Cairo


    Spread:
    Spread: There have also been reports that the violence is beginning to spread outside of Cairo, with reports of further clashes involving Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Minya and Assiut


    Unfolding
    Unfolding: Regional television networks have been broadcasting images of collapsed tents and burning tires at both sites, with ambulances on standby


    Invad
    Invade: An Egyptian military bulldozer moves in as smoke billows from a burning tent in Cairo's Al-Nahda square


    Crackdown:
    Crackdown: The simultaneous actions by the Egyptian forces - at the pro-Morsi encampment in Nasr City and at the site outside the main campus of Cairo University in Giza - began at around 7am local time


    Claims: Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood said at least 250 people were killed and over 5,000 injured in a police crackdown
    Claims: Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood said at least 250 people were killed and over 5,000 injured in a police crackdown


    Terrifying: Protesters were showered with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out at both sites
    Terrifying: Protesters were showered with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out at both sites


    Control:
    Control: Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood supporters run from tear gas fired by Egyptian police as they try to disperse supporters of Egypt's ousted president Mohamed Morsi in a street leading to the Rabaa al-Adawiya protest camp


    Officials confirmed that a number of leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood group had been arrested in the move to clear out the protest camps.

    Of those arrested, only prominent politician Mohammed al-Beltagi has been named. 

    'We have arrested a number of Brotherhood leaders but it's too early to announce their names,' General Abdel Fattah Othman, a senior official in the Interior Ministry, told the privately-owned CBC TV channel.

    The Muslim Brotherhood group claimed that Mr al-Beltagi's 17-year-old daughter, Asmaa al-Beltagi was killed in the clashes today.

    The Anti-Coup Alliance, an umbrella of pro-Morsi supporters, said in a statement that there are dozens of dead and injured so far in Wednesday's attacks. 

    Eyewitness Ahshur Abid said 15 people were killed as the clearing operation started. 

    He said he saw their bodies at a field hospital at one of the camps.

    While supporters say that security forces used live ammunition, officials denied the claims and said that they only fired tear gas on the camps.


    Spreading violence: Images show a council building in the northern city of Alexandria today which was stormed by protestors
    Spreading violence: Images show a council building in the northern city of Alexandria today which was stormed by protestors


    They later said that they were only responding to gun fire from demonstrators.

    Video footage taken from a camera on board an army helicopter was released by officials this morning who say that it shows protestors firing on security forces first.

    Pictures were posted on Twitter of a security forces truck which was full of soldiers that had been pushed off a bridge by protestors in Cairo, killing or injuring those inside.

    A ministry statement had warned that forces would deal firmly with protesters acting 'irresponsibly,' suggesting that it would respond in kind if its men are fired upon. 

    It said it would guarantee safe passage to those who want to leave the Nasr City site but would arrest those wanted for questioning by prosecutors. 

    A security official said train services between the north and south of the country have been suspended in a bid to prevent supporters of the ousted Morsi from travelling to Cairo to reinforce fellow Islamists. 

    The Egyptian Central Bank instructed commercial banks to close branches in areas affected by the chaos. 

    The Ministry of Antiquities also ordered the site of the Giza Pyramids closed to visitors along with the Egyptian museum in the heart of the Egyptian capital. 

    The closures were a precaution effective only for Wednesday, it said. 


    A protestor carries a fellow comrade near Rabaa al-Adawiya square in Cairo during clashes
    A protestor carries a fellow comrade near Rabaa al-Adawiya square in Cairo during clashes


    Egyptians help a woman suffering from tear gas exposure after canisters were fired by Egyptian police
    Egyptians help a woman suffering from tear gas exposure after canisters were fired by Egyptian police 



    A statement issued today by the Muslim Brotherhood group from which Morsi hails said: 'The world cannot sit back and watch while innocent men, women and children are being indiscriminately slaughtered. The world must stand up to the military junta's crime before it is too late.'

    An Associated Press television video journalist at the scene of the larger of the two camps said he could hear the screams of women as a cloud of white smoke hung over the site in the eastern Cairo suburb.

    He said an army bulldozer had earlier removed mounds of sand bags and brick walls built by the protesters as a defence line.

    UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has this afternoon condemned the violence in Egypt.
    In a statement, he said : 'I am deeply concerned at the escalating violence and unrest in Egypt, and regret the loss of life on all sides. 

    'The UK has been closely involved in intensive diplomatic efforts directed at reaching a peaceful resolution to the standoff. I am disappointed that compromise has not been possible. 

    'I condemn the use of force in clearing protests and call on the security forces to act with restraint. Leaders on all sides must work to reduce the risk of further violence. 

    'Only then will it be possible to take vital steps towards dialogue and reconciliation.'


    A ROLL CALL OF UK JOURNALISTS KILLED IN FOREIGN CONFLICTS

    According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, there had been 32 journalists from across the world killed during 2013. It says that there have been 999 deaths since 1992 and a further 456 journalists have been in exile from their native countries since 2008. The last 20 years has seen 2,000 journalists violently killed worldwide according to the International Federation of Journalists. Since the start of the Egypt uprising in 2011, a number of journalists have been attacked, with several female journalists said to have been subjected to sex assaults. Here we look at a selection of the UK journalists killed while carrying out their job:

    Killed: Sunday Times journalist Marie Colvin
    Killed: Sunday Times journalist Marie Colvin
    Paul Jenks - In January 1992, European Pressphoto Agency photographer Paul Jenks was shot and killed by a sniper in Croatia.

    Ibrahim Goskel - A freelance reporter, Mr Goskel was shot and killed at Sarajevo airport in Bosnia in July 1993.

    Dan Eldon - The Reuters photographer was stoned and beaten to death by a mob in Somalia in July 1993.

    Vincent Francis - Worldwide Television News bureau chief Mr Francis was killed in an ambush in Burundi in April 1995.

    John Schofield - BBC radio reporter was shot dead in Croatia in August 1995.

    Kerem Lawton - Associated Press Television News producer was killed by mortar fire in Yugoslavia in March 2001.

    Martin O'hagan - Sunday World reporter Mr O'Hagan was shot dead in Lurgan, Northern Ireland in September 2001.
    Roddy Scott - Mr Scott, a cameraman for Frontline TV news agency, was shot dead in Chechnya in September 2002.


    Richard Wild - The photographer was shot in the head in Baghdad in July 2003.


    James Miller - A freelance camaraman, Mr Miller was shot by an Israeli soldier in Gaza in May 2003.

    Terry Lloyd - ITV News correspondent was shot in the back by crossfire as he approached Basra in Iraq and was then shot in the head by U.S forces in March 2003.

    Simon Cumbers - Was shot in Saudi Arabia while working as a BBC cameraman in June 2004.

    Kate Peyton - The BBC producer was shot in the back in Somalia in February 2005.

    Paul Douglas and James Brolan - CBS News cameraman and sound man were both killed when their convoy was hit in Baghdad in May 2006.

    Rupert Hamer - Sunday Mirror reporter Mr Hamer was killed in January 2010 when an improvised explosive device went off underneath his behicle in Nawa, Afghanistan.

    Tim Hetherington - Freelance photographer who was killed in a mortar attack in April 2011.

    Marie Colvin - Sunday Times reporter died in a rocket attack in Syria in February 2012. 

    Mick Deane - Among at least 100 killed in clashes between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and security officials in Cairo, Egypt, today.


    Killed: Mick Deane, who was killed in Cairo today, is pictured working for Sky News
    Killed: Mick Deane, who was killed in Cairo today, is pictured working for Sky News


    The Foreign Office said this morning that it is 'concerned' by the latest developments in Egypt and urged travellers to stay away from the violence.

    An FCO spokesman said: 'We are deeply concerned by reports from Cairo this morning - and urge for dialogue and a peaceful resolution.

    'As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement on 27 July, now is the time for dialogue, not confrontation.

    'We have updated our travel advice advising people to stay away from demonstrations and large gatherings of people.'
    White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest urged the interim Egyptian government to respect civilians' human rights in their actions.

    He told a press conference: 'We strongly oppose a return to a state of emergency and call on the government to respect basic human rights.

    'We urge the government and all parties in Egypt to refrain from violence.'

    He added that the US Government, who bankroll the Egyptian military to the tune of $1.3billion, will put pressure on the interim Egyptian leader to honour their promise that they would install a new democratic government swiftly.
    He warned that the 'world is watching'.

    Mr Earnest said that President Barack Obama is being kept up to date with developments.

    UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon said in a statement earlier: 'While recognizing that political clocks do not run backwards, the secretary-general also believes firmly that violence and incitement from any side are not the answers to the challenges Egypt faces.' 

    The EU has also today called for a stop to the violence.

    Catherine Ashton, EU policy chief, said: 'The reports of deaths and injuries are extremely worrying.
    'We reiterate that violence won't lead to any solution and we urge the Egyptian authorities to proceed with utmost restraint.'

    In a separate statement this afternoon Ms Ashton added: 'Confrontation and violence is not the way forward to resolve key political issues. I deplore the loss of lives, injuries and destruction in Cairo and other places in Egypt. 
    'I call on the security forces to exercise utmost restraint and on all Egyptian citizens to avoid further provocations and escalation.'

    Germany, Iran, Turkey and Qatar have also denounced the violence.

    The Iranian foreign ministry said in a statement: 'Iran is following the bitter events in Egypt closely, disapproves of the violent actions, condemns the massacre of the population and warns of the serious consequences.'
    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office called today's events 'a serious blow to the hopes of a return to democracy'.

    More than 300 people have already died in political violence since the army overthrew Morsi on July 3, including dozens of his supporters killed by security forces in two separate earlier incidents.


    Demands
    Demands: Supporters of the ousted Islamist president want him reinstated and are boycotting the military-sponsored political process which includes amending the Islamist-backed constitution adopted last year and holding parliamentary and presidential elections early next year


    Control: Firemen put out a fire at Nahda Square in Cairo as Egyptian security forces clear the scene
    Control: Firemen put out a fire at Nahda Square in Cairo as Egyptian security forces clear the scene


    Determined
    Determined: Supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood gesture as Egyptian security forces move in


    Supporters of the ousted Islamist president want him reinstated and are boycotting the military-sponsored political process which includes amending the Islamist-backed constitution adopted last year and holding parliamentary and presidential elections early next year. 

    Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, had just completed one year in office when he was toppled. 
    He has been held at an undisclosed location since July 3, but was visited by the European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and a team of African statesmen. 

    Ashton reported that he was well and had access to television and newspapers. 

    Several bids by the United States, the EU and Gulf Arab states to reconcile the two sides in Egypt in an inclusive political process have failed, with the Brotherhood insisting that Morsi must first be freed along with several of the group's leaders who have been detained in connection with incitement of violence. 

    The trial of the Brotherhood's leader, Mohammed Badie, and his powerful deputy Khairat el-Shater on charges of conspiring to kill protesters is due to start later this month. 

    Badie is on the run, but el-Shater is in detention. Four others are standing trial with them on the same charges.


    TWO YEARS OF TENSION: FROM MUBAREK TO MORSI AND BEYOND


    Jan. 25-Feb. 11, 2011 - Egyptians stage nationwide demonstrations against the rule of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, who led the country for nearly three decades. 

    The 18-day 'revolution,' launched by secular and leftist youth, draws in a wide spectrum, including the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists. Hundreds of protesters are killed as Mubarak and his allies try to crush the uprising.

    Feb. 11 2011 - Mubarak steps down and turns power over to the military. Two days later, the body of top generals, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution, meeting two key demands of protesters.
    Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down after protests against his rule
    Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down after protests against his rule


    June 16-17 2011 - Egyptians vote in the presidential runoff between Morsi and Shafiq. The generals issue a 'constitutional declaration' giving themselves sweeping authorities and limiting the powers of the next president. Morsi emerges as the victor, with 51.7 percent of the vote.

    June 30 2011 - Morsi takes his formal oath of office before the Supreme Constitutional Court, a day after reading a symbolic oath in Cairo's Tahrir Square, birthplace of the revolution.

    Aug. 12 2011 - In a bold move, Morsi orders the retirement of the top Mubarak-era leadership of the military and cancels the military's last constitutional decree, taking back the powers that the generals gave themselves. The move was seen as way to curb the military's role in political affairs but it also gave Morsi the power to legislate in the absence of parliament.

    Nov. 22 2011 - Morsi unilaterally decrees greater authorities for himself, giving his decisions immunity from judicial review and barring the courts from dissolving the constituent assembly and the upper house of parliament. The move came just ahead of court decisions that could have dissolved the bodies. The move sparks days of protests, with clashes between Morsi's supporters and opponents. At one point, some 200,000 people rally in Tahrir Square, with some of the first chants for Morsi to 'leave.'

    Dec. 4 2011 - More than 100,000 protesters march on the presidential palace, demanding the cancellation of the referendum and the writing of a new constitution. The next day, Islamists attack a peaceful anti-Morsi sit-in outside the palace, sparking all-out street battles that leave at least 10 dead. Days later, Morsi rescinds his initial decrees, but maintains the date of the referendum.

    Jan. 25, 2013 - Hundreds of thousands hold protests in Tahrir Square and nationwide against Morsi on the 2-year anniversary of the start of the revolt against Mubarak, and clashes erupt in many places.

    Jan. 26 - Residents of the city of Port Said stage protests, angered by a court ruling convicting and sentencing to death a group of local soccer fans for a 2012 stadium riot. Police crack down hard in Port Said, killing more than 40 protesters, and in outrage the city and others nearby go into near revolt. Much of the anger is focused at Morsi, who praised the police for their crackdown.

    Feb.-March - Protests continue in Port Said and other cities for weeks, with dozens more dying in clashes, and some police units around the country go on strike. Brotherhood youth and their opponents fight in the streets outside the group's main Cairo headquarters.


    Strong-willed: Two female protestors sit in front of a barricade during protests in Cairo last month
    Strong-willed: Two female protestors sit in front of a barricade during protests in Cairo last month


    June 30 -- Millions of Egyptians take to the streets in Cairo and other cities calling for Morsi to step down in a massive display of anger and frustration with the Islamist leader. The demonstrations are largely peaceful, although 16 people, half of them in clashes outside the Muslim Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters, are killed in protest-related violence nationwide. Organisers vow to keep up the protests until Morsi resigns.

    July 1 - Demonstrations continue and Egypt's military issues an ultimatum for the two sides to come to a resolution within 48 hours or it will impose its own solution.

    July 3 - Egyptian media reports that President Morsi will either be sacked or forced to stand down as the army's deadline for a resolution approaches. The head of the Egyptian army, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi later declares on national TV that Morsi has been ousted from power, prompting a wave of celebrations across the country.

    July 4 - Judge in Egypt's supreme court, Adly Mansour, sworn in as interim president in Cairo.

    July 5 - 'Friday of Rage' protests spark violent clashes that last into the night, leaving a 36 dead and more than 1,000 people injured

    July 7 - More than 50 are killed and 435 injured in clashes between supporters of ousted President Morsi and armed forces at the Republican Guard building in Cairo. Armed forces claim that they opened fire because a 'terrorist group' had attempted to storm the building.

    July 9 - Interim head of state Adli Mansour sets a timetable of next year for elections in the country leaving Egypt facing months of protests.

    July 12 - Thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters gather in Cairo and say they will occupy a square in the city until Morsi is reinstated as president.

    July 15 - At least seven killed in clashes between protestors and police in Cairo. A further 261 are injured when locals and Muslim Brotherhood supporters clash.

    July 26 - More than 120 people were reportedly killed in another night of violence in Cairo, according to the Muslim Brotherhood. Security forces were said to have opened fire on a round the clock vigil for President Morsi shortly before pre-dawn prayers.


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