EARLY morning fire in Tahrir Square, Cairo, has left scores of casualties, as rioting and protesting in the capital reaches its 9th day. Anti-Mubarak, and Pro-Mubarak protesters clashed for the first time in Tahrir Square yesterday, pelting each other with stones, and other bits of debris. Yesterday saw the use of petrol bombs, one of which to hit the Squares Egyptian Museum, putting at risk many valuable artefacts.
According to official UN figures, the number of casualties from the shootings and rioting since yesterday stands at 836, of which 86 are still hospitalised and 5 have died. This brings the total death toll since the beginning of riots up to 300 nationwide.
President Mubarak has since come out to ABC news and has stated that he would like to step down, but fears for the safety of the country, and also claims that this is what he had said in a phone call to President Obama. He also made clear to ABC news that he was “fed up” and simply wanted “to go”. Meanwhile, his vice-president, Omar Suleiman, has announced that government reforms need to introduced, but will only progress if the protesters cease clashing.
The increase in violence and civil disobedience in Cairo has led to the US now urging it’s nationals to leave the country immediately.
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