July 5th : Amid Egyptian Protests, Army Mildly Intervenes In Cairo Late This Evening As Pro-Morsi Supporters Peacefully Withdraw, Pictures
Michael Matthew Bloomer, July 5, 2013
Egypt erupted in sometimes violent country-wide demonstrations as the Egyptian Armed Forces and police stood aside for most of the day. Al Jazeera television, reporting from Cairo, Nasr City, and Alexandria revealed tens of thousands of Egyptians rallying for and against yesterday’s unseating of President Mohamed Morsi. In Maspero, Al Jazeera reported that the military intervened to physically separate rival demonstrators. Overall today, the Health Ministry has reported 17 persons dead, with more than 400 injured.
In Cairo, on and around the October the 6th Bridge, violent confrontations between the two camps characterized the evening, although the worst of the clashes passed as of 9:54 pm, as pro-Morsi marchers reversed direction and began leaving the area. Soon thereafter, the military’s absence quickly ended as numerous personnel carriers moved peacefully into the area bounded by Tahrir Square and the October the 6th Bridge. In a celebratory mood, supporters of Morsi’s ouster mounted atop personnel carriers, and Al Jazeera observers considered this a sign of the close present relationship between the armed forces and the anti-Morsi demonstrators. According to Al Jazeera’s Nancy Johnston, pro-Morsi marchers, continuing to disband, walked past demonstrators amid their “victory poses.”
By 10:20 pm Cairo was significantly quieter, although anti-Morsi demonstrators exult. Despite the restoration of peace, Mohamed Badie, the leader of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. announced earlier today that the Brotherhood will not capitulate to the forced removal of President Morsi. Once again, Egypt’s future is as complicated as it is unclear.
Pictures follow:
