A protest by Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood at their main sit-in camp in Cairo turned into a party of music and dance, a video published by Egyptian media showed on Thursday. Thousands of pro-Mursi Islamists celebrated the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday in Cairo’s Rabia al-Adawiyya Square, not heeding government calls to end the six-week vigil or face security action. A similar dance party was held in the square on July 13, prompting hardline Salafists to pull out from the sit-in, saying the event contradicts their beliefs and does not serve their goal to reinstate ousted President Mohammad Mursi. The government has urged the Islamists to end their sit-in or that security forces would use force to do so. International mediators from the United States, the European Union, the UAE and Qatar have travelled to Cairo seeking to convince both parties to reach a political settlement and avoid what could be a bloody violence should the security forces move in to end the sit-in by force. Interim President Adly Mansour announced on Wednesday that all international mediations have failed, raising fears that a security action is near.
Aug92013