Clashes in Damietta leave 55 injured, 11 jailed

Tuesday 06-08-2013 09:25 AM
Clashes in Damietta leave 55 injured, 11 jailed

Clashes in Damietta between supporters and opponents of deposed President Mohamed Mursi on August 5, 2013 - Aswat Masriya

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Fifty-five people were injured in clashes early Monday between supporters of Egypt's deposed President Mohamed Mursi and their opponents in the new Damietta city located north of Cairo.

The clashes erupted after nearly a thousand of Mursi's loyalists announced their intention to hold a sit-in in front of the Islamic Medical Center near the home of one of the supporters who were killed during Cairo clashes on July 27.

The protesters chanted against the army and asked for the return of Mursi and the dissolved parliamentary houses.

The residents of the area were enraged by the decision to hold a sit-in and clashed with the protesters. Both sides fired both live ammunition and rubber bullets at each other, injuring dozens who were transferred to the hospital, according to an Aswat Masriya eyewitness.

The security forces then interfered, firing teargas to disperse the crowds.

In addition, 11 were arrested on account of possessing cocktail bombs, the Islamic Center was evacuated and a number of cars, which belonged to the protesters, were vandalized.

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