American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement that one Egyptian employee of the US Embassy during the demonstrations that erupted on January 25. Khairy Ramadan Aly, a carpenter who had worked at the embassy for 18 years, went missing on January 28 and was later confirmed dead, Clinton said in the statement. A US diplomat in Cairo said that Khairy's family found him in the morgue. “They believe he died of three gunshot wounds,” the diplomat said. On January 28, Egyptian police attempted to put down the demonstrations that had erupted days earlier. The ensuing violence left a number of people dead, with Aly among those killed by pro-government supporters. Over 300 people have been killed in the 18 days of anti-government protests, the United Nations has reported. Clinton's statement condemned violence against civilians and demanded an end to “abuses committed against those seeking to exercise basic freedoms.” “There is a clear responsibility by the Egyptian government, including the armed forces, to protect those threatened and to hold accountable those responsible for using violence and intimidation that threatens the aspirations of the Egyptian people,” it added. Journalists, Egyptian and foreign, have also been targeted by government security “thugs” since January 25. A reporter for al-Ahram newspaper was also killed. BM
