Six people were killed early on
Tuesday in violence in Cairo near a sit-in by supporters of deposed President
Mohamed Morsi, the state run Al-Ahram newspaper's website reported, quoting a
health ministry official.
At least 33 people were also injured in the
clashes near the Muslim Brotherhood protest at Cairo University, Al-Ahram
quoted Khaled al-Khateeb, the ministry official, as saying.
Earlier, Al-Ahram Online said police fired tear gas
to quell the violence and several cars in the area were destroyed or set on
fire.
Police sources said hundreds of pro-Morsi
supporters clashed with local residents, street vendors and others near Cairo
University's main campus in Giza province, south of Cairo. They said gunshots
were fired and stones were thrown during the incident.
One person was killed and around 20 were
injured on Monday in clashes between Morsi supporters and opponents in central
Cairo. Around 100 have been killed since the army overthrew Morsi, elected last year, on July 3 after
mass protests.
The Muslim Brotherhood said on the Facebook
page of its Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), which Morsi headed before he was
elected president in June 2012, that five were killed in Tuesday's clashes.
"Leaders of the military coup continue
to terrorize the peaceful protesters in Egypt," the FJP said in a
statement in English.
The Brotherhood accuses the army of
orchestrating a coup that has exposed deep political divisions in the Arab
world's most populous and influential nation.
FJP said the ministers of defense and
interior, whom it called "the leaders of the coup," would be held
responsible for any future attempts to evacuate the Brotherhood protest areas.
Morsi's supporters are maintaining a
round-the-clock vigil, now in its third week, in a Cairo suburb. They say they
will continue until Morsi, held by the army in an unknown location since his
ouster, is reinstated.
Some residents close to the Brotherhood's
main protest area in Nasr City have filed a complaint with the public
prosecutor asking for the removal of the protesters, who they say are
disturbing their lives.
An
informed security source said the case is expected to be taken to a court and
ruled upon soon "to give the army a legal basis to end the protests."
REUTERS