Africa

Africa

Injury toll rises to 49 in Egypt's clashes

19 April 2013 19:16 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The injury toll rose to at least 49 in the clashes between Islamists and opponents in the Egyptian capital of Cairo on Friday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"Ten of the injured were transferred to nearby hospitals, while the other 39 were treated on the spot by the ambulances deployed in the area," head of Egypt's Ambulance Authority Mohamed Sultan said, noting that injuries ranged between cuts and bruises.

The clashes broke out between the court house and Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo after dozens of masked men in black set fire to a bus, an eyewitness told Xinhua.

Security forces used tear gas to separate Islamist demonstrators and anti-Islamist protesters.

Thousands of Egyptian Islamists, the main supporters of President Mohamed Morsi, gathered outside the Supreme Courthouse against what they describe as "corrupt judiciary," due to recent acquittals of ex-officials affiliated to former President Hosni Mubarak as well as the "slow-pace" trial of Mubarak.