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Dozens of Morsi supporters killed in Egypt clashes Dozens of Morsi supporters killed in Egypt clashes
(35 minutes later)
At least 38 people were killed when security forces opened fire on supporters of ousted Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi in Cairo, a doctor on the scene said. Egyptian security forces shot dead at least 70 supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi early on Saturday, the Muslim Brotherhood said, deepening the turmoil which has convulsed Egypt for weeks.
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/>Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad said the shooting started shortly before pre-dawn morning prayers on the fringes of a round-the-clock vigil being staged by backers of Morsi, who was toppled by the army more than three weeks ago.
Yehia Mikkia said on Saturday the death toll from the overnight clashes was likely to be higher. Many casualties were transported to hospitals outside a sit-in, where the protesters have been camped for over three weeks. He said hundreds were wounded. "They are not shooting to wound, they are shooting to kill," Haddad said, adding that the death toll might be much higher.
Al Jazeera's Egypt television station reported that 120 had been killed and some 4,500 injured in the early morning violence near Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawia mosque.
Reporters at the scene said firing could still be heard hours after the troubles started.
"I have been trying to make the youth withdraw for five hours. I can't. They are saying they have paid with their blood and they do not want to retreat," said Saad el-Hosseini, a senior Brotherhood politician.
"It is a first attempt to clear Rabaa al-Adawia," he said.
There was no immediate comment from state authorities on what had happened.
The clashes started after police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of Morsi supporters who tried to extend the sit-in in eastern Cairo.The clashes started after police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of Morsi supporters who tried to extend the sit-in in eastern Cairo.
The Muslim Brotherhood initially said at least 31 people had died. Al Jazeera showed medics desperately trying to revive casualties arriving at a field hospital set up near the mosque.
"They are not shooting to wound, they are shooting to kill," Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad said. "The bullet wounds are in the head and chest."
The violence erupted on the fringes of a round-the-clock vigil staged by backers of Morsi, who was ousted from power earlier this month by Egypt's military following mass protests against his first year in office.
Al Jazeera's Egypt television station showed medics desperately trying to revive casualties arriving at a field hospital at the Brotherhood sit-in at Rabaa al-Adawiya, a mosque in north-east Cairo.
El-Haddad said police started firing repeated rounds of tear-gas at protesters on a road close to the mosque sometime after 3am local time (2am BST). Shortly afterwards, live rounds started flying, hitting people at close range.El-Haddad said police started firing repeated rounds of tear-gas at protesters on a road close to the mosque sometime after 3am local time (2am BST). Shortly afterwards, live rounds started flying, hitting people at close range.
The bloodshed came the day after supporters and opponents of Morsi staged mass rival rallies across the country, bringing hundreds of thousands into the streets and laying bare deep divisions within the Arab world's most populous country.The bloodshed came the day after supporters and opponents of Morsi staged mass rival rallies across the country, bringing hundreds of thousands into the streets and laying bare deep divisions within the Arab world's most populous country.
Well over 200 people have died in violence since the overthrow of Morsi, most of them Brotherhood supporters.Well over 200 people have died in violence since the overthrow of Morsi, most of them Brotherhood supporters.
There was no immediate word from the security forces about what they thought had happened at Rabaa early on Saturday.
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