'Mubarak's thugs shot, stab protesters'

03/02/2011| IslamWeb

Embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's thugs and under-cover police stab protesters to dead, shooting many others, including women and children, on the tenth day of revolution protests rocking the country.

Early reports suggest that six people have been killed, however, fierce clashes which have erupted in different parts of the capital city indicate the number of victims could sharply rise.

More than 830 protesters have been wounded as they were attacked by government vigilantes with knives, petrol bombs and guns, the report added.

People, shouting "God is Great," in Cairo's Tahrir Square fought gun battles with Mubarak's under-cover police, who fired artillery at them.

The Egyptian army watched people being stabbed or stoned to dead by government vigilantes in Cairo.

Protesters were encouraged after winning the battle with Mubarak's thugs in the central city square, saying they will do anything to remove the Egyptian incumbent president from power.

The report added that the protesters had the upper hand in clashes which erupted on Wednesday night and continued in the early hours of Thursday.

Many wounded protesters were transferred to a mosque in Tahrir Square, which was used as a makeshift hospital.

The protesters called for prayers in Tahrir Square as last night's clashes forced them to cancel prayers. They have also promised another mass rally on Friday.

The number of protesters is rising as people made their way back to Tahrir Square in the early hours of Thursday.

Pro-government forces attack protesters with automatic guns. Witnesses said police IDs were seized from plain-clothed police attacking people.

Egypt is slammed for censorship and intimidation of journalists. Some 62 rights groups in Egypt have condemned the violent crackdown in the North African country.

Dozens of journalists from al-Jazeera, CNN, al-Arabiya and ABC News, covering the confrontations in Cairo became the target of violent attacks on Wednesday.

The 6th October Bridge, also called the "spinal cord" of Cairo, was blocked by pro-government elements to stop population from gathering in Tahrir Square, which has been the heart of battles in the 10-day-long revolution in Egypt.

Demonstrators say the protests will continue in Tahrir Square until Mubarak's fall.

A report by the United Nations says at least 300 people have so far been killed and thousands more injured during nationwide protests in troubled Egypt.

PHOTO CAPTION

An armed pro-government supporter rides a camel through Tahrir Square in central Cairo.

Source: Agencies