Egyptian Army and Morsi Supporters Clash

July 05, 2013

by VOA News

Gunfire broke out Friday in Cairo in a clash between supporters of deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and government troops, and clashes were reported in other locations around the country. At least one person was killed, but unconfirmed reports indicate the casualty toll may be higher.

Witnesses saw soldiers open fire on pro-Morsi protesters trying to march on the defense ministry headquarters. Several people fell to the ground, bleeding.

In another part of the capital, Nasr City, thousands of Morsi supporters massed outside the Rabea Al-Adaweya mosque - banging on drums, railing against the army and vowing to back Mr. Morsi to the death. The military ousted the president and took him into custody Wednesday, one year after his election, and suspended the constitution, saying the action was prompted by the risk of a popular uprising.

"We are not in a battle with the Egyptian armed forces, our battle is with those who orchestrated the coup," said Mohammed el-Beltagy, General Secretary of the Islamist Freedom and Justice Party. "Until they go back on it and free President Morsi from his captivity and restore him to the presidency."

The Muslim Brotherhood said it hopes to overwhelm the military by the sheer force of numbers, not through violence.

"This is the Egyptian people's million man march to regain legitimacy from the traitors; from the military council," said Safwat Hegazy, a preacher and Muslim Brotherhood supporter.

Egypt's military deployed troops to Zagazig, northeast of Cairo, where supporters and opponents of he deposed president have been fighting. Reports from the scene tell of gunfire and rock-throwing.

Islamist militants launched attacks on an airport in the Sinai Peninsula, and the army shut down the Rafah border crossing with Gaza after militants fired rockets on police there.

The military and Egypt's former opposition groups have called for reconciliation as the military moves forward with its so-called road map to restore democratic, civilian rule in Egypt.

Many leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood have been detained under house arrest, and Mr. Morsi is said to be in military custody. Despite the angry outcry from the president's supporters, however, the atmosphere in most of Cairo and the rest of Egypt has been largely celebratory since Mr. Morsi was forced out of office.

The military named a senior jurist, Adly Mansour, as interim president, and he was sworn into office Thursday.

Islam Abdel-Rahman of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party tells VOA the Brotherhood still considers Mr. Morsi is Egypt's rightful president.

"We believe in peaceful means of defying this military coup," he said. "We don't believe in taking up arms or something like this. We still believe this country can be managed by political means."

He rejected comparisons that some have made to other countries that have experiences military takeovers and subsequent unrest.

"Egypt is not like Pakistan," Rahman said. "Egypt is not like Algeria. Egypt is Egypt and people are very confident and determined that we can give an example of a peaceful challenge to an armed coup."

The Brotherhood has also slammed the military for shutting down its official television channel and newspaper, as well as several other Islamist media outlets. In a statement, the group said the moves bring Egypt "back to the era of repressive practices, dictatorship, and corruption."

Judicial officials say they will open an investigation next week against Mr. Morsi and other Brotherhood members on charges of "insulting the judiciary."