Protestors stand their ground against police assault @ Tahrir Square night of Nov.19. Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy.
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The military have joined Egyptian Riot Police using excessive amounts of tear gas, rifles, and rubber coated bullets to fight protestors regrouping in Tahrir Square after the burning of their tents and belongings.
The escalating battle began Saturday.
Cairo, Egypt. Nov. 20. The lingering smoke from tear gas clouds Cairo's streets Sunday morning, as stalls surrounding Tahrir Square open for business and Al Jazeera reports that clashes between riot police and protestors continue nearby in the capital city.
In a shocking violent confrontation Saturday, riot police entered the square to dismantle a camp occupied by some 200 demonstrators after tens of thousands returned to Tahrir to protest allegations that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) intends to maintain control after elections.
SCAF, the military elite, took over control of the country after the Arab Spring Revolution nine months ago and has allegedly engaged in "numerous crimes against human rights," according to Ahram Online. Just 11 days ago, in an an address to the Washington-based National Democratic Institute, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton affirmedthat the US has played a role in the MENA revolutions and described SCAF as necessary for "the establishment of stability and continuity in Egypt.
In the largest assault since the Egyptian revolution, baton wielding police yesterday fired hundreds of canisters of tear gas into the square and nearby streets and shot rubber bullets, often aiming at the heads and eyes of protestors, according to witnesses on the scene. As fighting continues into the 19th hour on Mohamed Mahmoud Street, exhausted civilian resistors are tweeting out urgent requests for reinforcements.
Already, two confirmed deaths and upwards of 600 injuries have been reported in Cairo.
Battles between police and protestors also occurred in Suez and Alexandria, where hundreds were injured.
The violence occurs a week before the first elections since Hosni Mubarak's resignation.
A protestor runs through tear gas. Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy.
One prominent activist, Malek Mostafa, lost his right eye from a rubber bullet, said Ghada Shahbender, a member of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights.
At least four protesters were injured in the eyes as a result of what Shahbender said were orders to target protesters' heads.
"It is a crime," she said. "They were shooting rubber bullets directly at the heads. ... I heard an officer ordering his soldiers to aim for the head."
A videojournalist for the Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry al-Youm, Ahmed Abdel-Fatah, was also hit in the eye by a rubber bullet and was undergoing surgery. CBS News
Reporting from Tahrir this morning, Al Jazeera's Jamal ElShayyal says
"The crowds that have gathered that have been in ongoing running battles, but are not backed by any of the main parties. All the main parties have not called for an all out gathering.
"The violence, has taken many by shock. People are not sure how it is going to exactly play out. The coming hours are critical in finding out whether elections will be on same timetable.
"First phase [of elections are] coming up in less than a week. It is very difficult to see how elections can take place in this mess.
"Up until now we have not heard a statement from the military."
Al Jazeera continues to break in to regular coverage with news from Cairo.
Tahrir Square. Morning of November 20. Civilians clean up after a night of violence.
The Guardian slideshow
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11:29 PM PT: obna Lobna Darwish
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 7:25 AM PT: Protesters rallying at talaat harb and marching backs towards #Tahrir where fires are burning and army is waiting
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 7:26 AM PT: Protesters pushing army soldiers back towards #Tahrir chanting "peaceful peaceful" #Egypt
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 7:45 AM PT: Confirmed: Military launched attack against protestors. HUGE Amounts of tear gas being used to clear Tahrir. Battles continuing in streets. Arab Autumn
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 7:53 AM PT: BBC reporter witnesses beating http://www.bbc.co.uk/... .... military line w/police behind ... war zone ... military http://twitter.com/...
unconfirmed reports that presidential candidate BothainaKamel1 is arrested by police
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 8:05 AM PT: Egyptian PM holding emergency meeting w/security forces. 55 arrests ... Activist on AJE just said what the security forces are doing in #tahrir is 'what the Brits used to do in India - shoot and show no mercy' ...
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 8:05 AM PT: CONFIRMED: PRES CANDIDATE BothinaKamelhas been arrested by police during #Tahrir clashes #Egypt
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 8:06 AM PT: RT @JSharyar AJE: Protesters in #Tahrir are loudly calling on head of #SCAF to step down immediately and hand-over to civilian government.
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 8:08 AM PT: Protesters pushed the army and police back. The battle is raging again. #egypt #tahrir
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 8:22 AM PT: Marches from everywhere in Cairo heading to Tahrir now
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 8:30 AM PT: http://lockerz.com/... prayers @ field hospital in Tahrir. 3000 people in Tahrir with no shelter ... Muslim Brotherhood issues statement saying protestors should have right to protest, called on SCAF to explain themselves.
Portends bad news for security for elections
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 8:47 AM PT: Military has no qualms re disbursing qualms via violence. concerns about election day. Protestors and parties have different demands. Many protestors in Tahrir do NOT want to participate in elections, want to confront military which has no interest in quick transfer to civil authority. Political parties want to hear that military is clear about timetables for elections, which they have not provided.
2 more people killed in today's violence. Minister of Culutre has resigned. 65 arrests today.
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 8:50 AM PT: crowd swelling @ Tahrir http://twitpic.com/...
AJ reporting more and more injured people as night goes on...
Protest a variety of people ...
ambulances
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 8:52 AM PT: Everyone shouting same thing: We want an end to military rule. Scene now similar to revolution!
Fury on part of people in response to military/police actions and to ongoing military control.
Sun Nov 20, 2011 at 8:55 AM PT: NoorNoor1 Noor نور
They just fired a different kind of gas here. Everyone ran, worst case of blindness and suffocation i've ever encountered #Tahrir