Two killed when police fire on crowd in Tahrir Square
Egyptian military police killed two people and injured 18 when they opened fire Saturday on protesters who camped in Cairo’s Tahrir Square overnight, medical sources say.In the biggest demonstation for over a month, tens of thousands rallied on Friday to demand the prosecution of ousted president Hosni Mubarak and other leading figures from his regime.
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The military, which took charge of the country when Mubarak quit in February, said that "elements from the interior ministry" backed by civilians had cleared the "outlaws" from the square, in a statement carried by the official Mena news agency.
During the mass rally after the Friday Muslim prayers, protesters also chanted slogans against military boss, Field Marshal Mohammed Tantawi. They were joined by at least seven dissident officers who called for the "purification" of the army.
At midnight the officers were still in the square, gathered in a tent surrounded by more than a dozen protesters who wanted to guard them against arrest.
A curfew is in force in Cairo between 2am and 5am.
"Elements from the interior ministry along with some noble citizens confronted the riotous actions and enforced the curfew without any losses," the armed forces statement said.
A separate statement posted on the military's Facebook page blamed "remnants" of the formerly ruling National Democratic Party for the demonstration and said it had ordered the arrest of four party members it accused of "thuggery" during the sit-in.
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