CAIRO: Following a young American in Egypt who was killed Friday in Alexandria while photographing clashes between opponents and supporters of President Mohammed Morsi, the United States Embassy in Cairo has urged against all travel to the country as protesters amass in major squares across the country on Sunday demanding an end to President Morsi's tenure. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf identified the victim as Andrew Pochter. Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, says in a statement on its website that Pochter was a 21-year-old student from Chevy Chase, Md., working in Egypt as an intern for a non-profit education organization. There were conflicting reports about how Pochter was killed. The killing has brought fresh fears of anti-Americanism in the country, which is faced with its worst political impasse since the ousting of former dictator Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. "The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Egypt to defer non-essential travel to Egypt at this time due to the continuing possibility of political and social unrest. On June 28, 2013, the Department of State authorized the departure of a limited number of non-emergency employees and family members. U.S. citizens are urged to remain alert to local security developments and to be vigilant regarding their personal security. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Alert issued for Egypt dated May 15, 2013. On June 28, the Department of State authorized the departure of a limited number of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members from Egypt due to the ongoing political and social unrest," said a statement from the State Department. "Political unrest, which intensified prior to the constitutional referendum in December 2012 and the anniversary in 2013 of Egypt's 25th January Revolution, is likely to continue in the near future due to unrest focused on the first anniversary of the President¿s assumption of office. Demonstrations have, on occasion, degenerated into violent clashes between police and protesters, resulting in deaths, injuries, and extensive property damage. Participants have thrown rocks and Molotov cocktails and security forces have used tear gas and other crowd control measures against demonstrators," the statement continued. BN
