(New York Times) David Kirkpatrick and Kareem Fahim - Egyptian security officials said 43 civilians and one security officer were killed in clashes with supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi early Monday. They had been holding a sit-in outside a military officers' club where they believe Morsi is being held, demanding his release. More than 300 people had been wounded. The killings came a day after the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies vowed to broaden their protests against the president's ouster. American diplomats contacted Brotherhood leaders to try to persuade them to re-enter the political process, an Islamist briefed on one of the conversations said on Sunday. "They are asking us to legitimize the coup," the Islamist said. Brotherhood officials pledged that their growing protests would force the military to release Morsi. "I think the military has to yield; they won't have any choice," said Gehad el-Haddad, a Brotherhood spokesman. "We are stepping it up every few days, with protests around the country....We are logistically capable of carrying this on for months."
2013-07-08 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive