One person was killed and two others were injured when unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire on anti-Mursi protesters rallying in front of Assiut's city council on Sunday evening, Aswat Masriya's correspondent reported.

The shooters' goal was to disperse protesters after they declared a sit-in at the city council until both President Mohamed Mursi and Assiut's governor step down, he said.

The attackers randomly fired at the protesters then escaped, causing a state of panic among the demonstrators.

Four tanks and three security vehicles arrived at the scene and chased the attackers.