Egyptian security forces have moved in to clear two protest camps

Bloodshed as Cairo camps cleared
August 14, 2013 10:11 AM
Egyptian security forces have moved in to clear two protest camps occupied by supporters of deposed president Mohammed Morsi in Cairo, with reports of many killed.

The Muslim Brotherhood said more than 100 died, but the authorities put the death toll much lower.

State TV showed armoured bulldozers moving deep into the main camp outside the eastern Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque.

Authorities say the Nahda Square camp in western Cairo has been cleared.

Tear gas was fired as armed bulldozers moved in
The interior ministry said a mopping up operation in the streets surrounding Nahda Square was under way. Pro-Morsi activists were chased into the nearby zoo and Cairo University, Nile TV said.

Witnesses at Rabaa al-Adawiya spoke of seeing dozens of bodies on the ground, and the Muslim Brotherhood described the security forces' intervention as a massacre.

A spokesman told the BBC he had been told in a field hospital used by Morsi supporters outside the mosque that 120 people had died.

At least two members of the security forces were among the dead and nine were injured, officials say.

The interior ministry denied any deaths were caused by its forces firing live ammunition.

"Security forces used only tear gas canisters to disperse the protesters though it was heavily fired at by armed elements from inside the two protest camps, causing the death of an officer and a conscript and the injury of four policemen and two conscripts," the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier, the interior ministry said security forces were taking "necessary measures" against the protest camps.

A safe exit would be provided for protesters and they would not be pursued, "except those who are wanted by the prosecution", it said.

The interior ministry was keen "not to shed any Egyptian blood", the statement went on.

The authorities said they wanted to avoid bloodshed
Supporters of Mr Morsi have been occupying Nahda Square and the Rabaa al-Adawiya site since he was ousted on 3 July. They want him reinstated.

Large plumes of smoke rose over parts of the city as the operation to clear the camps began, with tear gas canisters fired and helicopters hovering above.

Muslim Brotherhood TV called for people to send cars to the sit-ins to take casualties to hospital.

Several Muslim Brotherhood leaders have been arrested, private Egyptian TV reports.

"We arrested a number of Muslim Brotherhood leaders, but it is too soon to announce their names," interior ministry spokesman Abdel Fattah Uthman told CBC TV.

The protesters had been expecting the clearance operation, says BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen.

It is a heavy-handed operation and is a consequence of the current "winner takes all" climate, he adds, with both sides sticking to their positions and pushing as hard as they can.

There are reports of further protests by Morsi supporters outside the capital.

In the northern city of Alexandria they are reported to have blocked main roads. Hundreds are said to have gathered outside the governor's office in Aswan in the south.

More than 250 people have been killed in clashes with the security forces in the six weeks since Mr Morsi's overthrow.

Speaking to the BBC on Monday, Egypt's Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said the sit-ins could not continue "endlessly".

He said the authorities had been trying to seek an agreement through dialogue.

"If the police force take their procedures, they will do that in accordance with the law by court order and in accordance to the basic norms on which these things are done."

BBC © 2013
Bloodshed as Cairo camps cleared http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23691571

Egypt police move on Cairo sit-ins
August 14, 2013 10:20 AM
Key points

- Security forces begin clearing two protest camps in Cairo occupied by supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi

- Bursts of gunfire have been heard and tear gas is being used. Helicopters and armoured vehicles have been deployed

- The two camps are at the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque and Nahda Square

- The Egyptian authorities say the camp at Nahda Square, in western Cairo, is now clear

- Reports say 15 people have been killed as police cut off side streets

- All times in GMT

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LIVE TEXT

By Sarah Fowler and Caroline McClatchey

0915: Ikhwanweb via Twitter

tweets: Coup regime disrupts railroad services to & from the South, and shuts down internet services around #Rabaa and #Nahda squares

0910:

Egyptian security forces' bulldozers move in to destroy the protest camp set up by Muslim Brotherhood supporters in eastern Cairo.

0907:

This image shows the debris left behind after police move in to dismantle the protest camp in the Cairo district of Nasr City.

0904:

Despite train travel coming to a halt in and out of Cairo, airports are operating as normal, Egypt's minister of aviation tells state-run Nile News TV.

0900:

Muslim Brotherhood supporters wear gas masks to protect against exposure to tear gas.

0858:

The Egyptian health ministry says the death toll now stands at seven people killed and 67 wounded. The Muslim Brotherhood has put the casualty figure much higher at more than 100. The numbers have not been independently verified.

0854: Gigi Ibrahim via Twitter

tweets: In response to army & police attack of pro-Morsy sit-ins few churches and copts-owned shops have been burned or attacked in upper #Egypt

0851:

In an earlier statement, the Interior Ministry said it was keen not to shed any Egyptian blood and that it would provide a safe exit for all protesters who weren't facing prosecution.

0848:

Pro-Morsi demonstrator Tamer el Nashar tells BBC World Service's Newsday programme the protesters are organising themselves to confuse the authorities."We're trying to arrange certain meeting points so that we can move, so that the protesters can move in large numbers and come in from various places to cause great confusion to the police forces and the armed forces that are attacking the sit-in in Rabaa al-Adawiya."

0844:

A makeshift medical centre has been set up to treat injured protesters near the Rabaa al-Adawiya camp. There has been no independent confirmation of the number of people killed and wounded.

0840:

Egyptian security forces are reportedly advancing on the main encampment in the eastern district of Nasr City.

0835:

Pro-Morsi supporters help a woman suffering from exposure to tear gas near the Rabaa al-Adawiya protest camp.

0832:

Egyptian interior ministry spokesman Abdel Fattah Uthman says several Muslim Brotherhood leaders have been arrested. "We arrested a number of Muslim Brotherhood leaders, but it is too soon to announce their names," Mr Uthman told Egypt's private CBC TV.

0829:

There are reports of pro-Morsi supporters taking to the streets in other parts of Egypt. Protesters have blocked main roads in Alexandria, northern Egypt, and hundreds gathered outside the governors office in Aswan, southern Egypt, according to the BBC's Barbara Groom. There also reports of protesters storming a local council building in the governorate of Matrouh, north-western Egypt.

0825: Mohamed Soltan via Twitter

tweets: Bodies coming in from all directions as tear gas live rounds being shot at us continuously from every direction

0820:

The security forces have started to advance into the larger of the two camps at Rabaa al-Adawiya, which has yet to be cleared, AP reports.

0819:

This shot shows Muslim Brotherhood supporters fleeing tear gas fired by police into a street leading to the main protest camp at Rabaa al-Adawiya.

0816: BBC News, Cairo Hugh Sykes

The clear-up operation continues in eastern Cairo. I cannot see the main sit-in at the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque from where I am as all the roads have been blocked off by military vehicles and police in riot gear. There is a pall of smoke and a helicopter circling the area. There are some very angry people here and there is also great sadness at what they say is the end of Egyptian democracy.

0812:

The Egyptian cabinet is due to convene an emergency meeting over the latest developments in Cairo, the BBC's Kifah Arif reports.

0810: Gehad El-Haddad, spokesman for Muslim Brotherhood via Twitter

tweets: All power shut off in #Rabaa, nothing is working even in medical center rooms. Shooting still continuing w/ same intensity & brutality

0806: Claire Read, BBC Arabic, Cairo

tweets: Cairo emergency services are reporting 5 dead and 52 injured #Egypt #Rabaa #Nahda

0803:

Egyptian security forces moved in with armoured vehicles to try and disperse the protest camps in Cairo in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

0800:

There are reports coming in of all train services in and out of Cairo being stopped "for security reasons and to prevent people from mobilising," according to AFP, quoting the railway authority.

0758: Journalist Club via Twitter

tweets: Crowds gathering is being reported in #Alexandria and #Suez to protest against clearing of sit-ins

0757:

The protesters are supporters of deposed president Mohammed Morsi, who was ousted by the army in July after just a year in power. Read the BBC's Q&A for the bigger picture on the current crisis in Egypt.

0751:

Thick clouds of black smoke rise up over the main protest camp in the eastern district of Nasr City, as security forces try to disperse pro-Morsi supporters.

0750:

Security forces moved into the two camps - at Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque and Nahda Square - in armoured vehicles at 05:00 local time. There have been reports of gunfire and tear gas. Egyptian authorities say the smaller Nahda Square camp in western Cairo has now been cleared.

0746:

To recap: At least 15 people have reportedly been killed as Egyptian security forces clear protest camps in Cairo. But the Muslim Brotherhood, which backs the protests, put the number of casualties much higher.

0744: Hend Tabana via Twitter

tweets: Conflicting reports on how the police attack started, when, how many dead, injured, arrested in both #Rabaa and #Nahda sit ins

0741:

The BBC's Bethany Bell describes the clearing of the protest camps in this video. She says security forces are combing the area around Nahda Square and are looking for some Muslim Brotherhood supporters who may have taken refuge in a nearby zoo.

0739:

Eyewitness Murad Ahmed describes the scene at a makeshift hospital at Rabaa al-Adawiya to Reuters: "It is nasty inside, they are destroying our tents. We can't breath inside and many people are in hospital," he said.

0735: BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen

The protesters had been expecting the clearance operation. It is a heavy-handed operation and is a consequence of the current "winner takes all" climate. Both sides are sticking to their positions and will push as hard as they can. The middle ground in terms of trying to get an agreement doesn't really exist.

0730: Mohamed Soltan via Twitter

tweets: Phones about to die. Electricity cut off. Bird shots and live shots fired directly at stage

0728: Shadi Hamid via Twitter

tweets: Army/MOI using brute force is no surprise. But what's genuinely scary is reports of citizens on the edge of Raba'a cheering them on.

0725:

The health ministry says there have so far been no confirmed deaths from the security operation to clear the protest camps, according to state-run Mena news agency. The number of wounded is being counted, it adds.The BBC cannot independently confirm any figures.

0723:

Egyptian state-run Nile News TV reports the arrest of 35 protesters "in possession of arms and ammunition" at the Rabaa al-Adawiya encampment.

0721:

Egyptian state TV has been showing security forces moving in to disperse the main protest camp at Rabaa al-Adawiya.

0719: BBC News Bethany Bell

The Muslim Brotherhood says 120 protesters have been killed and several thousand injured. The BBC has no independent confirmation of those figures.

0714:

The UK-based spokesperson for the Muslim Brotherhood, Mona al-Qazzaz, spoke to BBC Radio 4's Today programme:"I'm asking the international community, please step in and stop this massacre. We all knew that this massacre was going to happen, but the international community has been silent."

0712: Washington Post's Abigail Hauslohner via Twitter

tweets: Gunfire coming from Nasr city side streets too. A woman bystander is crying "god save us.

0710: The Independent's Alastair Beach via Twitter

tweets: Chopper overhead, great plumes of smoke in sky, heavy gunfire inside siege a few 100 yards from Rabaa

0707: BBC News, Cairo James Reynolds

We are unable to get to the camp now but I went there two hours before the raid began. There were hundreds, possibly thousands, of protesters but it is not known how many left before the security forces arrived.

0705: BBC News, Cairo James Reynolds

We can hear live ammunition and there is a sting of tear gas in the air at the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque. Police in armoured vehicles are taking up positions on the corners of roads but they say one exit is still open for protesters.

0700: Bel Trew via Twitter

tweets: They've got every road blocked off and are firing at anyone trying to get in: tear gas, birdshot bullets and what sounds like live ammo

0657: Ahmed Nasri via Twitter

tweets: Reports say the army is filming the operations in #Rabaa and #Nahda this morning. And will be aired later today!

0655:

Pro-Muslim Brotherhood TV has shown footage of a man on the main stage at the Rabaa al-Adawiya camp calling on the international community to take action."We will stay here under any circumstances because we love the free life. We will not be slaves to (Defence Minister Gen Abdul Fattah) al-Sisi, army and police... Now we have 45 people killed and 100 injured. Please do something," he said.The BBC is unable to independently verify any numbers.

0652: Gregg Carlstrom, Al Jazeera journalist

tweets: Speaker on stage in Raba'a, addressing army: "Don't kill us, we are not Israelis, we're not terrorists, we are Muslims, we are Egyptians."

0649:

This agency photo shows smoke rising from the camp at Rabaa al-Adawiya. Security forces started to clear the protest camps shortly after 05:00 GMT

0646:

The Muslim Brotherhood says 50 people have now died. The Egyptian interior ministry says two members of the security forces have been killed and nine others wounded. The BBC is unable to independently verify any numbers.

0643: BBC News Bethany Bell

The Muslim Brotherhood, which supports the ousted president, has called the operation to clear the camps a "massacre".

0642:

The protesters are supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi, who was ousted just one year after taking office. To find out what led to the current political crisis in Egypt, take a look at the BBC's Q&A: Egypt in turmoil.

0639: BBC News Bethany Bell

The Muslim Brotherhood is urging supporters to return to the camps and converge on the big mosques in the city.

0637: Mosa'ab Elshamy via Twitter

tweets: Finally made it into Rabaa. Tear gas unbearable.

0635: BBC News Bethany Bell

Interior ministry says the smaller of the two camps - Nahda Square - has now been completely cleared.

0633: Feyonka via Twitter

tweets: Mobil fuel station on el Nasr Road near #Rabaa sit in, has a huge fire.. This is a huge hazard. Please leave immediatley if you are around

0629: Bel Trew via Twitter

tweets: Huge plumes of black smoke coming from inside the sit-in which is completely surrounded, can hear gunfire trying to get into Rabaa

0628: daliaziada via Twitter

tweets: Police forces offering cars to #Morsi supporters who wants to leave strikes in #Cairo & #Giza peacefully without armed resistance

0623:

A makeshift hospital is appealing to Egyptians to offer cars and ambulances to help move the injured, pro-Muslim Brotherhood Ahrar 25 TV reports.

0621: Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad el-Haddad via Twitter

tweets: 30 deaths in #Rabaa thus far & counting. R we just numbers now !!! is there an acceptable death-toll number every1 is waiting 4.

0617:

The interior ministry says two members of the Egyptian security forces have been killed in the clearing operation, AFP reports. Egyptian state TV said one policeman has been killed.

0616: BBC Arabic's Claire Read via Twitter

tweets: Soldiers a tank and APCs blocking Midan Galaa and corniche leading to #Nahda Square sit-in

0612:

A bit of background: The two camps were set up by Muslim Brotherhood supporters demanding the reinstatement of former president Mohammed Morsi, who was ousted by the military on 3 July. You can find out more about the key players in the deepening political crisis here.

0610: BBC News Bethany Bell

The Muslim Brotherhood is reporting at least 25 to 30 people killed. The BBC is unable to independently verify any numbers.

0607: Al Jazeera English Reporter Rawya Rageh via Twitter

tweets: Plumes of smoke at #Giza sit-in, car tires set on fire #Egypt

Mosa'ab Elshamy via Twitter

tweets: In Nasr street saw a couple of police vehicles packed with bearded men under arrest. So much for a safe exit.

0602:

Reuters and AFP news agencies are now reporting at least 15 people killed. An AFP correspondent, who counted the bodies at a makeshift morgue at the Rabaa al-Adawiya camp, said many appeared to have died from gunshot wounds. The BBC is unable to independently verify any numbers.

0559: Cairo correspondent for The Independent Alastair Beach via Twitter

tweets: From Saleh Salem, huge plume of smoke from direction of Rabaa, abt a km in length & rising high #egypt

0549:

Before the raid, at around 05:00 local time, the BBC's James Reynolds posted a photo on Twitter of the makeshift barricades outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya camp.

0543:

The main pro-Morsi protest camp is in a square near the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in the eastern district of Nasr City. You can view a clickable picture of the camp here.

0539:

Egypt's interior ministry has issued a statement saying: "Upon the government's assignment to take necessary measures against the Rabaa and Nahda sit-ins, and out of national responsibility to protect citizens' security, the security forces have started to take necessary measures to disperse both sit-ins. It will provide safe exit for protesters and will not pursue them, except those who are wanted by prosecutors. The ministry is keen not to shed any Egyptian blood."

0537:

Security officials say tear gas has been fired into the larger of the two protest camps outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque. At Nahda Square, armoured vehicles have been seen securing the area.

0533:

There are already unconfirmed reports of at least five deaths at Rabaa al-Adawiya. The Reuters news agency is quoting an eyewitness as saying that 15 have been killed.

BBC News, Cairo James Reynolds via Twitter

tweets: Raid on Rabaa mosque pic.twitter.com/wNgEpLCB13

0529:

Al-Arabiya TV is broadcasting images of clouds of tear gas, collapsed tents and tires burning at the Rabaa al-Adawiya protest site.

0528:

A security tells the AFP news agency: "It is the beginning of the operation to disperse the protesters."

0525:

Supporters of the ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi say the security forces have begun operations to clear their two huge sit-ins in Cairo. The BBC's James Reynolds has seen an armoured bulldozer heading towards barricades protecting one of the protest camps outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque, in the north-east of the capital. He says he can hear bursts of gunfire, a nearby side street has been blocked off, and plumes of black smoke can be seen in the distance.

BBC © 2013