At least 26 people have been reportedly killed and hundreds other injured in Egypt supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi clashed with the opponents on Friday.
The violence came after soldiers opened fire against Morsi supporters, who were demanding his reinstatement, killing three of them, as per a BBC report.
At least 13 people have reportedly been killed in Alexandria and three in Cairo.
According to reports by state media, Muslim Botherhood’s deputy leader Khairat el-Shater has been arrested from Cairo on suspicion of incitement to violence, as per a BBC report.
The armed forces removed 61-year-old Morsi on Wednesday night and is currently after days of protest against his leadership.
Morsi has been put “under guard” at the Republican Guards Club since his ouster. Al-Jazeera broadcast Morsi’s interview after Minister of Defence Abdul Fatah Al-Sisi’s announcement that he had been ousted.
In the 22-minute video Morsi remained defiant and emphasised his legitimacy saying: “I am the president of the republic and I am keen on this legitimacy.”
Meanwhile, thousands of angry supporters of Morsi, chanting slogans like “down with military rule”, took to the streets after Friday prayers demanding his reinstatement, as soldiers opened fire to chase them away, killing at least three people.
The incident took place as Islamist members of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood marched towards the Republican Guards Club, where the Arab nation’s first democratically elected president has been put “under guard” since Wednesday night.
Despite warning from soldiers not to cross the road, the crowd got angrier and tried to storm the Republican Guard headquarters, prompting the security forces to open fire – first into the air, then at the demonstrators.
The demonstrators, who held up images of Morsi, denounced the statement from the General Command of the Armed Forces, chanting: “Down with Sissi”, “Down with military rule,” and “Islamic.”
Earlier, the powerful army has appealed for conciliation and warned against revenge attacks as violent clashes continued overnight.
–PTI