Africa

Africa

5 Egypt's MB members killed, 1,500 injured in recent clashes

06 December 2012 21:48 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB) group announced Thursday that five of the group members have been killed and another 1,500 injured in Wednesday's clashes between the opponents and supporters of President Mohamed Morsi, the Brotherhood said in a statement issued Thursday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

The statement said the clashes flared up when some armed groups tried to break into the presidential palace, describing the incident as treachery, bullying and terrorization.

"The MB members went to demonstrate peacefully in front of the palace, expressing their support to the presidency and to the constitution referendum," the statement said.

Putting barbed wires along the ways to the presidential palace, Egypt's Republican Guards ordered earlier Thursday the protesters outside the palace to leave the area by 3:00 p.m. local time (1300 GMT). It also decided to ban any demonstrations in the areas of the presidency premises.

According to state-run Nile TV, Morsi will address the nation later on Thursday on the recent incidents.

Egyptians have been protesting against the constitutional declaration issued by President Morsi and the draft constitution mainly written by Islamists.

On Nov. 22, Morsi issued a new constitutional declaration which rules that all laws, decrees and constitutional declarations issued by the president since he came into office on June 30 are final and unchallengeable by anybody, which triggered a new wave of nationwide protests.

Morsi later promised that the declaration was only temporary and would be withdrawn as soon as the draft constitution is approved by Egyptians in the upcoming referendum, which was scheduled on Dec. 15. But the move failed to quench the massive protests.