A fragile peace has returned to the areas of clashes in Cairo's Abbassiya neighborhood, which was the deadliest this year. Egypt's military council decided to intervene in the Abbassiya clashes after at least 17 people were killed and over 200 were injured, according to activists. Riot and military vehicles were deployed in and around the square on Wednesday evening in an attempt to control the violence. The military were widely condemned for standing by and watching the violence unfold without trying to intervene and save lives. Protestors were convinced the army was complicit in the violence. An army statement released late on Wednesday accused protesters of attacking its vehicles. “Eight armored personnel carriers from the military central zone entered the Abbassiya area to disperse the fighting between protesters, and not to disperse the peaceful demonstrators,however, protesters attacked the armed forces. The armed forces have orders to hold their ground,” the army statement said on Wednesday. Thousands of Egyptians took to the street later on Wednesday in support of the protesters and headed towards Abbassiya square. Pro-change protesters were violently attacked early Wednesday when a group of militant assailants used live ammunition to disperse a sit-in close to the ministry of defense. Security officials said the clashes broke out when the assailants attacked hundreds of protesters who were camping out since Saturday calling for the amendment of the presidential elections laws and demanding the military leave power. Online activists shared videos showing a mob of men throwing balls of fire on top of a bridge and hurling rocks and empty glass bottles. Doctors have confirmed two people were shot in the head and a third in the chest while another says a man was “slain” inside an ambulance. One makeshift hospital volunteer doctor told local press that “thugs” were attacking ambulances and killed an injured man inside one. They have also reported that the Dar al-Shefaa hospital, which was for over 6 hours the only hospital receiving the injured, taken over by a group of thugs. Amongst the killed are members of the 6th of April Youth Movement, who directly blamed the military council for the killings. “These practices are a continuation of the cleansing and eradication methods that the military council uses to crack down on the revolution,” the group said in a statement. The recent violence comes as Egyptians ready themselves to cast their votes on May 23-24 with a run off in June, in the first presidential elections in the modern history of the country. The military has promised to give up power on July 1 and transfer power to the elected president. So far five presidential nominees have suspended their campaign including Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, Khaled Ali, Mohamed Morsy, Hamdeen Sabahi and Abou el-Ezz al-Hariri. Ali, Aboul Fotoh and Sabahi were spotted taking part in marches in support of the protesters and visiting the injured in the hospital.
