Egyptian riots resumed in full force late Saturday, but a government official said the security situation in the country will be changing within hours as the army boosts its deployment across the nation.
Around midnight, at least 25 Egyptian protestors were shot to death by police forces while attacking two police stations south of Cairo as well as the Interior Ministry headquarters in the capital, eyewitnesses and medical sources said.
| Egypt Upheavel |
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| Chaos in Cairo; looting, rapes reported / Elior Levy and Reuters |
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Tens of thousands of Cairo residents ignore curfew order, gather in capital's main square; Egyptian army warns protestors to refrain from targeting public property |
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By late Saturday, Egyptian officials said the death toll in the ongoing protests exceeds 100; according to other sources, the number of fatalities is much higher.
Late Saturday, an official at Cairo airport said 19 private jets carrying families of wealthy Egyptian and Arab businessmen have flown out of the capital.
The official said the jets left Saturday carrying dozens of family members of Egypt's business elite. He said most of the planes were headed for Dubai.
While the riots are expected to continue Sunday, an Egyptian official told the al-Arabiya network that "the Egyptian security position will fundamentally change within hours." Parliament Member Muhammad Abu al-Einin said that the army will be boosting its deployment across the nation.
Egyptian soldier enforces curfew (Photo: AFP)
"Security forces will enter vital areas and the army will deploy all across Egypt alongside the police," he said.
Saturday night's clash outside the Internal Ministry headquarters may indicate that authorities are indeed adopting a firmer stance in the face of ongoing riots. A doctor who witnesses the incident said that many youngsters besieged the building and were hurt by sniper fire directed at them from within the compound. The al-Arabiya network said rescue forces had trouble reaching the sites because of roadblocks.
Protests continue into night (Photo: Reuters)
Meanwhile, riots and looting continued elsewhere in Cairo, with al-Arabiya reporteing that the Tax Authority headquarters in the capital was set on fire.
In an apparent effort to curb the growing chaos, Egyptian television aired the photos of detainees arrested on suspicion of looting. Al-Arabiya reported that the army also embarked on a wave of arrests, targeting "law-breakers" in several areas of Cairo.
At this time it appears that the Egyptian regime is aiming to demonstrate its determination in restoring order in the country. Earlier, the Egyptian military said that it will adopt a firm stance against lawbreakers and urged protestors not to target public property.
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