"نيويورك تايمز CAIRO — The police and armed civilians opened fire Saturday with live ammunition on protesters against Egypt’s new military government, witnesses said, killing scores of people as hopes faded that the Egyptian military would reach any political accommodation with the Muslim Brotherhood and its ousted president, Mohamed Morsi. Multimedia Multimedia Feature Timeline of Egypt’s Transition From Mubarak to Morsi VIDEO: Scenes of Protests Against Morsi Related The Lede: Tahrir Taken, Some Egyptians Look for ‘Third Square’ to Resist Islamists and Army (July 26, 2013) Aid to Egypt Can Keep Flowing, Despite Overthrow, White House Decides (July 26, 2013) World Twitter Logo. Connect With Us on Twitter Follow @nytimesworld for international breaking news and headlines. Twitter List: Reporters and Editors Enlarge This Image Asmaa Waguih/Reuters Supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi ran through tear gas during clashes with the police. Clashes between the police and Mr. Morsi’s supporters erupted about 11:30 p.m. Friday. Witnesses said the police were trying to disperse protesters as they approached a central Cairo bridge, using tear gas at first, but then the officers, joined by armed civilians, fired birdshot and ultimately live ammunition to drive the protesters back. By later Saturday morning the bodies of at least 29 protesters were seen laid out on concrete floors in a makeshift morgue, while there were 20 more dead at a nearby hospital. The Muslim Brotherhood put the death count at 70 people. “They are not shooting to wound, they are shooting to kill,” said Gehad el-Haddad, a spokesman for the Brotherhood. The burst of violence came after a vast state-orchestrated display of military power Friday, with army helicopters hovering low over a huge throng of flag-waving, pro-military demonstrators in Tahrir Square and soldiers deploying in armored personnel carriers across the capital.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 13:48:39 +0000