URGENT: US PPI declines by 0.2% in May    Egypt secures $130m in non-refundable USAID grants    HSBC named Egypt's Best Bank for Diversity, Inclusion by Euromoney    Singapore offers refiners carbon tax rebates for '24, '25    Egypt's CBE offers EGP 4b zero coupon t-bonds    G7 agrees on $50b Ukraine loan from frozen Russian assets    EU dairy faces China tariff threat    Over 12,000 Egyptian pilgrims receive medical care during Hajj: Health Ministry    Egypt's rise as global logistics hub takes centre stage at New Development Bank Seminar    Blinken addresses Hamas ceasefire counterproposal, future governance plans for Gaza    MSMEDA, EABA sign MoU to offer new marketing opportunities for Egyptian SMEs in Africa    Egypt's President Al-Sisi, Equatorial Guinea's Vice President discuss bilateral cooperation, regional Issues    Egypt's Higher Education Minister pledges deeper cooperation with BRICS at Kazan Summit    Gaza death toll rises to 37,164, injuries hit 84,832 amid ongoing Israeli attacks    Egypt's Water Research, Space Agencies join forces to tackle water challenges    BRICS Skate Cup: Skateboarders from Egypt, 22 nations gather in Russia    Pharaohs Edge Out Burkina Faso in World Cup qualifiers Thriller    Egypt's EDA, Zambia sign collaboration pact    Madinaty Sports Club hosts successful 4th Qadya MMA Championship    Amwal Al Ghad Awards 2024 announces Entrepreneurs of the Year    Egyptian President asks Madbouly to form new government, outlines priorities    Egypt's President assigns Madbouly to form new government    Egypt and Tanzania discuss water cooperation    Grand Egyptian Museum opening: Madbouly reviews final preparations    Madinaty's inaugural Skydiving event boosts sports tourism appeal    Tunisia's President Saied reshuffles cabinet amidst political tension    Instagram Celebrates African Women in 'Made by Africa, Loved by the World' 2024 Campaign    Egypt to build 58 hospitals by '25    Swiss freeze on Russian assets dwindles to $6.36b in '23    Egyptian public, private sectors off on Apr 25 marking Sinai Liberation    Debt swaps could unlock $100b for climate action    Financial literacy becomes extremely important – EGX official    Euro area annual inflation up to 2.9% – Eurostat    BYD، Brazil's Sigma Lithium JV likely    UNESCO celebrates World Arabic Language Day    Motaz Azaiza mural in Manchester tribute to Palestinian journalists    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Egypt Ministry claims 24 dead, but eyewitnesses cite higher numbers
Published in Bikya Masr on 10 - 10 - 2011

CAIRO: The Egyptian Ministry of Health raised the death toll from Sunday night's clashes between Copts and the police to 24 dead and 272 injured. Eyewitnesses from the scene report that the number of victims is higher, however.
Military police used force to disperse a Coptic Christian march that started from the district of Shubra and arrived early Sunday evening at Maspero, the National Radio and Television building.
The military fired upon protesters, and ran them over with military vehicles.
Thousands of Copts had gathered for the evening to protest the burning of a church in Edfu, Aswan on September 30.
The Egyptian cabinet is set to meet on Monday to discuss Sunday's events. Meanwhile, Coptic leaders are meeting Monday at noon to discuss the current situation, and are expected to issue a statement soon.
Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf gave an address to the nation early Monday morning, calling the clashes, “a conspiracy to bring down the state and not sectarian violence.”
Some families of the deceased are demanding autopsies for the bodies of their sons and daughters to determine the cause of their deaths.
In the coronary report of one victim, the cause of death was reported as “fights between citizens.”
Things on Sunday intensified after the military issued a statement on national TV, urging citizens to take to the street and “help protect the army against Coptic attacks.”
Eyewitness told Bikyamasr.com that the call drove armed men from their houses to protect the army, believing that Copts were attacking the military and attempting to kill officers.
One injured man at the scene told Bikyamasr.com that rumors about Copts burning copies of the Quran spread in the Cairo neighborhood Bolaq, near downtown. In response to the rumors, men took arms and “went out to defend Islam,” the injured man said.
He asked not to be identified. He had a broken arm, and his head was injured and bleeding, yet he refused to go to the hospital for fear of getting arrested.
He added that he and friends saw a corpse of man lying under the bridge near downtown and wanted to move it, but were stopped and assaulted by residents armed with bats and guns.
Eyewitnesses by Maspero said that residents from neighboring areas came in to aid the military, and burned several cars near the building.
The army, however, claims that Coptic protesters were the ones responsible for vandalized public property and attacks against soldiers, a notion that Copts and eyewitnesses strongly deny.
“We were not armed and not at any point did any of us hold a gun. This was a peaceful protest that suddenly turned bloody after the military attacked us,” Mina, a protester who fled the violence in Maspero and took refuge in Tahrir, told Bikyamasr.com.
“They were killing us even after we shouted “silmya, silmya” or “peaceful, peaceful,” he added.
BM


Clic here to read the story from its source.