EGYPT ERUPTS AS 95 PEOPLE KILLED ALONG WITH SKY NEWS REPORTER CAMERAMAN

CAIRO, EGYPT

Egyptian police in riot gear swept in with armored vehicles and bulldozers Wednesday to clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of the country's ousted Islamist president in Cairo, showering protesters with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out.
An Egyptian Health Ministry official says 95 people have been killed and another 874 were injured across the country in clashes between security forces and supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi.

 

Khaled el-Khateeb told The Associated Press that 28 were killed Wednesday in Cairo, where police stormed two sit-in camps by supporters of the deposed Islamist leader, 25 were killed in Minya province south of the capital and one each in the cities of Alexandria, Assiut and Ban Suef.

Separately, an alliance of pro-Morsi groups says the 17-year-old daughter of senior Muslim Brotherhood Mohammed el-Beltagy has been killed. Asmaa Mohammed el-Beltagy was shot dead in the larger of the two vigils stormed by police in Cairo.

Her brother Ammar confirmed her death on his Twitter account.

Also among the dead was Sky News camerman Mick Deane, who was shot dead in the violence.

Smoke clogged the sky and fires smoldered on the streets, which were lined with charred poles and tarps after several tents were burned. The smaller camp was cleared relatively quickly, but clashes were ongoing at the main site near a mosque that has served as the epicenter of the pro-Morsi campaign.

After hours of clashes Egypt's interim president has declared a monthlong state of emergency to combat worsening violence after riot police moved to clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

A statement by the office of President Adly Mansour said Wednesday that the state of emergency takes effect at 4 p.m.

It didn't provide details but says Mansour also ordered the armed forces to support the police in their efforts to restore law and order and protect state facilities.

The assaults that sparked the bloody confrontations came after days of warnings by the military-backed interim administration that replaced President Mohammed Morsi after he was ousted in a July 3 coup. The two sit-in camps at two major intersections on opposite sides of the Egyptian capital began in late June to show support for Morsi. Aftre the coup, protesters there have demanded his reinstatement.