Three killed, 265 Brotherhood members rounded up in Cairo

Published on: 

Three people were killed in clashes and 265 arrested in Egypt on Friday in a crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood demonstrations after the movement was labelled a terrorist group, police said.

The military-installed government has banned protests by Brotherhood members demanding the reinstatement of deposed president Mohamed Morsi, after listing the movement as a terrorist organisation on Wednesday.

The three people were killed as opponents of the Islamists clashed with protesters in several cities, the interior ministry said.

Riot police fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters in several cities, swiftly clamping down on rallies after the midday today prayers, the usual time for Islamist demonstrations. Interior ministry spokesman Hany Abdel latif accused the protesters of using firearms, telling AFP they "increased their violence" in Friday's rallies.

The Brotherhood's designation as a terrorist group carries harsh penalties, with the group's leaders facing possible death sentences and protesters looking at up to five years in prison.

Smoke rose from Al-Azhar university's student dormitory in Cairo as police fired tear gas against protesters pelting them with rocks from inside the building, the latest in a series of student demonstrations that have turned violent.

Daily Pioneer
dailypioneer.com