Egypt is braced for more violence this morning on what is being called the “Day of Departure”.
Thousands of protesters are expected on the streets of Caril and Alexandria, calling for Egypt’s beleaguered president Hosni Mubarak to stand down immediately.The president of 30 years says he will remain in control until September, when he will not stand for re-election.However, the New York Times reports that US officials are discussing plans for Mr Mubarak to step down immediately, handing power to a transitional government led by vice president Omar Suleiman and the army.Many protesters once again slept in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the scene of bloody clashes between pro and anti-Mubarak supporters.
The US State Department is warning of a spike in violence today.”We are bracing for a significant increase in the number of demonstrators on the streets and with that, given yesterday’s events, the real prospects of a confrontation,” said State Department spokesman PJ Crowley.Mr Mubarak, 82, said yesterday he would have stepped down this week but feared chaos and the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood taking power.In an interview with America’s ABC News, he denied accusations that it was his hired thugs who had fomented the violence this week.
Mr Mubarak said he told Mr Obama: “You don’t understand the Egyptian culture and what would happen if I step down now.”Peaceful demonstrations turned ugly this week with violent clashes and running battles between the rival camps.Eight people have been killed and about 900 injured.Sky News witnessed severe beatings being dished out to suspected plain-clothes policemen and pro-democracy protesters.
Several foreign journalists have also been badly beaten by pro-Mubarak supporters.Angry men carjacked an ABC News crew and threatened to behead the journalists, but the crew managed to talk its way free, the US network said.The United Nations confirmed it is evacuating 350 staff from Egypt, and US citizens desperate to leave were ordered to assemble at Cairo airport by consular staff.Britain’s Foreign Office has announced that a second charter plane will depart from Egypt on February 5 with Britons wishing to leave the country – the first flight arrived in the UK last night.The crisis in Egypt is expected to dominate today’s European Council summit in Brussels, where all 27 EU states are likely to put their names to a further statement calling for urgent reform
Feb42011
Cairo Braced For ‘Day Of Departure’ Demo
Egypt is braced for more violence this morning on what is being called the “Day of Departure”.
Thousands of protesters are expected on the streets of Caril and Alexandria, calling for Egypt’s beleaguered president Hosni Mubarak to stand down immediately.
The president of 30 years says he will remain in control until September, when he will not stand for re-election.
However, the New York Times reports that US officials are discussing plans for Mr Mubarak to step down immediately, handing power to a transitional government led by vice president Omar Suleiman and the army.
Many protesters once again slept in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the scene of bloody clashes between pro and anti-Mubarak supporters.
The US State Department is warning of a spike in violence today.
“We are bracing for a significant increase in the number of demonstrators on the streets and with that, given yesterday’s events, the real prospects of a confrontation,” said State Department spokesman PJ Crowley.
Mr Mubarak, 82, said yesterday he would have stepped down this week but feared chaos and the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood taking power.
In an interview with America’s ABC News, he denied accusations that it was his hired thugs who had fomented the violence this week.
Mr Mubarak said he told Mr Obama: “You don’t understand the Egyptian culture and what would happen if I step down now.”
Peaceful demonstrations turned ugly this week with violent clashes and running battles between the rival camps.
Eight people have been killed and about 900 injured.
Sky News witnessed severe beatings being dished out to suspected plain-clothes policemen and pro-democracy protesters.
Several foreign journalists have also been badly beaten by pro-Mubarak supporters.
Angry men carjacked an ABC News crew and threatened to behead the journalists, but the crew managed to talk its way free, the US network said.
The United Nations confirmed it is evacuating 350 staff from Egypt, and US citizens desperate to leave were ordered to assemble at Cairo airport by consular staff.
Britain’s Foreign Office has announced that a second charter plane will depart from Egypt on February 5 with Britons wishing to leave the country – the first flight arrived in the UK last night.
The crisis in Egypt is expected to dominate today’s European Council summit in Brussels, where all 27 EU states are likely to put their names to a further statement calling for urgent reform