Cairo, Jun 29 : Clashes between security forces and frustrated Egyptians protesting for the second day today against the slow pace of prosecution of security officials responsible for deaths during the uprising against Hosni Mubarak left over one thousand people injured.
Violent incidents that broke out in the iconic Tahrir Square on Tuesday evening and earlier today left 1,036 people wounded, according to Health Ministry figures.
Assistant Health Minister Dr Abdel Hamid Abaza said that up to 916 of them received medical treatment on the spot and around 120 others were carried to hospitals. The landmark Square, which was the epicenter of 18-day protest that ousted President Mubarak in February, was sealed off early today as security forces tried to regain control from demonstrators numbering over 5,000, Al Jazeera news channel reported.
The clashes broke out last night when hundreds of people, including the families of those killed in the anti-Mubarak uprising began marching towards the Tahrir Square to protest the slow prosecution of security officers responsible for the deaths.
“The original dispute happened between families of the martyrs of the revolution as they were trying to attend an event (and were denied access),” the report said. “The protest gained momentum and made its way into Tahrir Square, and ultimately to the interior ministry,” it said.
Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf was quoted as saying that he ordered the police to withdraw from Tahrir Square to reduce tension. PTI
