CAIRO - At least 38,000 Egyptians were back home fleeing fatal protests in neighbouring Libya, as tens of thousands more are expected to return home in the coming few days, said the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces in charge of Egypt's affairs since ex-President Hosni Mubarak resigned. "Around 38,481 Egyptians have returned from Libya through the land crossing of Salloum since Monday," the Council said on its account on the social networking website Facebook. It added that three Egyptians have been killed in Libya and five others had been injured since Monday. "Great efforts are being exerted to bring back Egyptians, who want to depart from Libya aboard helicopters and buses through Salloum," read the statement. The Egyptian community in Libya is estimated at 1.5 million. Minister of Manpower Ismail Fahmi told the official Middle East News Agency (MENA) that his ministry was closely watching developments in Libya, pointing out that extra five EgyptAir planes are flying to Tripoli to repatriate Egyptians. Meanwhile, an Egyptian lawyer filed a report with Egypt's Chief Prosecutor Abdel Meguid Mahmoud accusing Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi and his son Seiful Islam, of instigating the killing of Egyptian expatriates in their country. "Junior Gaddafi incited the killing of Egyptians in Libya during a televised speech earlier this week, charging them with trying to pounce on the wealth of the Libyan people," said Islamist lawyer Mamdouh Ismail in his complaint. He also called for the assets and bank accounts of Gaddafi here to be expropriated for the interest of Egyptians fleeing Libya. Libya's official news agency has reported that since Sunday Egyptian and Tunisian expatriates have fueled protests currently sweeping Libya. Ismail also urged the Egyptian authorities to take the necessary arrangements to provide due protection for the Egyptians in Libya and secure their safe homecoming. Ahmed Gadhaf al-Dam, a cousin of Gaddafi, said in press remarks before leaving Cairo that he had left Libya for Egypt "in protest and to show disagreement", denying reports that he was in Egypt to seek help for Gaddafi from some Egyptian tribes. Gadhaf al-Dam, who arrived in Cairo several days ago, is a member of the Libyan leader's inner circle, handling Libyan-Egyptian relations.
