A fact-finding delegation from the African Union (AU) met Minister of Defence Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi on Tuesday. The delegation arrived in Cairo on Sunday to meet with authorities following the country's suspension from all union activities. The delegation was also scheduled to meet with representatives from the National Coalition to Support Legitimacy (NCSL) on Tuesday. Mohamed Soudan, Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) spokesman in Alexandria, said the delegation was visiting to further investigate the "massacres" taking place in the country. At least 53 civilians were killed in clashes between supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi and security forces outside the Republican Guards headquarters on 8 July. On Saturday, violence broke out near the pro-Morsi Rabaa Al-Adaweya sit-in leaving at least 80 protesters dead. "The delegation is here to know more about the massacres, meet with the victims, see the protesters who have been sitting-in at Rabaa for 31 days," Soudan said. Soudan said the NCSL supports the AU's decision to suspend Egypt from all union activities. The delegation also met with representatives from the Tamarod movement and 6 April Youth Movement founder Ahmed Maher on Monday. In a statement released on Monday, 6 April said Maher explained to the delegation members that what happened starting from 30 June was "the third wave of the January 25th revolution." Tamarod media coordinator Mai Wahba, who met with the delegation, said she believed relations with the AU would take a positive turn after the visit. "The delegation members explained that suspending Egypt's activities was only a precautionary measure," Wahba said. The delegation is chaired by Alpha Omar Konaré, a former president of Mali who also chaired the African Union Commission from 2003 to 2008, and includes the Prime Minister of Djibouti and a special representative from the office of the Botswanan President. The delegation met with Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy on Sunday. The commission is due to present a report of their findings to AU Chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in the coming weeks.
