Massacre in Cairo deepens Egypt crisis
At least 51 dead after gunmen open fire at Muslim Brotherhood protest against military coup in Egyptian capital.
Last Modified: 08 Jul 2013 17:40
A deadly shooting at the site of a sit-in by Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Cairo, demanding the reinstatement of ousted President Mohamed Morsi, has left dozens of people dead.
The Egyptian health ministry said at least 51 people had been killed and more than 300 injured in the incident early on Monday morning.
Egypt's interim administration has expressed "deep regret" for those killed in violence in Cairo on Monday, it said in a statement carried on the state news agency.
The transitional administration also said it had formed a judicial committee to investigate the events. The statement called on protesters not to approach any military or "other vital installations".
Mohamed Mohamed Ibrahim El-Beltagy, a Brotherhood MP, described the incident during dawn prayers after police had stormed the site, as a "massacre".
About 500 people were also reportedly injured.
A doctor told Al Jazeera that "the majority of injured had gunshot wounds to the head".
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Gehad Haddad, a spokesman for Muslim Brotherhood, said that at around 3.30 in the morning, army and police forces started firing at sit-in protesters in front of the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo.
?We have people hit in the head, we have bullets that exploded as they entered the body, cluttering organs and body parts? said Haddad.
?Every police force in the world understands how to disperse a sit-in. This is just a criminal activity targeting protesters.?
However, the military, which has set up checkpoints around Nasr City, said a "terrorist group" was responsible, adding that two officer had also been killed....
