Twitter: @jazkhalifa
Egypt is gripped by fear as violence has erupted on its streets. Hours before Egypt’s president Mohamed Mursi was to address the nation, clashes between supporters and opponents of the Islamic leader killed two and injured dozens. The confrontation transpired during a political demonstration staged by the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist parties that support Morsi.
Opponents of Morsi reportedly pelted his supporters with garbage as they gathered outside a mosque. According to Reuters, hundreds of men were involved in rock-throwing skirmishes in the city of Mansoura. There was also fighting in the nearby Nile Delta city of Tanta, though casualties appeared to have been less severe.
Similar acts of violence and protest have been prompted by both sides throughout the past week. Fears that this may transcend into a bigger more significant conflict are palpable as opposition rallies are expected over the weekend. There is a large opposition rally scheduled to take place June 30 in which the opposition will seek to force Morsi out.
It has been only two years since Egypt toppled Muhammad Hosni Mubarak from his 20-year presidency. Now the deepening economic crisis coupled with the polarization between Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood and disparate opponents have snowballed into instability. While some of Mursi’s critics blame the conflict and dissidents to Mursi’s religious Islamic rule, other say they are simply frustrated by the living standards and fear of chaos.
It looks like Egypt’s conflict mirrors that of Turkey, where protesters are denouncing both the use of police force against peaceful protests as well as Prime Minister Recep Erdogan’s Islamic conservative reforms.
Picture: Clashes in #Mansoura today between protestors/citizens/ppl and #ikhwan. pic.twitter.com/IgcEll3pPx
— Yąsmine Khalifa (@jazkhalifa) June 26, 2013
Attacks in #Mansoura now by armed thugs on a Pro-Morsi rally. #Egypt pic.twitter.com/Zcv7OKg9LL
— Gehad El-Haddad (@gelhaddad) June 26, 2013