CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s ruling generals said yesterday they were ready to use force to end protests in Tahrir Square after troops cracked down on demonstrators overnight and sparked violence that medical sources said killed two people.
Soldiers and police had used tasers and batons to try to drive out protesters from the square, the epicentre of protests that toppled Hosni Mubarak on Feb. 11. Gunshots echoed across the square in the overnight operation.
But hundreds defied the army move and stayed. Thousands more joined them yesterday, demanding power be handed to civilians and calling for the resignation of Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, who heads the ruling council.
“Tahrir Square will be emptied of protesters with firmness and force to ensure life goes back to normal,” the council’s Major General Adel Emarah told a news conference.
The army has become a target for a hard core of protesters who say it is colluding with remnants of Mubarak’s network and thwarting calls for a deeper purge of former officials.
“The military council is part and parcel of the corrupt regime. It is made up of heads of the army that have benefited from Mubarak and his 30 years of robbing the Egyptian people,” said Abdullah Ahmed, 45, a protester in Tahrir.
Responding to Emarah’s remarks, protester Zain Abdel Latif in Tahrir said: “If they use force, we will use force. This isn’t Libya, where the army can just attack us.”
The protesters’ anger was fuelled early on Saturday morning when the army tried to clear demonstrators from Tahrir during the 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. After failing to remove all the protesters, troops backed out of the square during the day.
The United States, which gives Egypt $1.3 billion a year in military aid, said it was concerned by events in Tahrir.
“We have seen the disturbing reports of the use of excessive force overnight in Tahrir Square and are looking into the situation. We urge the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to conduct a thorough and timely investigation,” the US embassy said in a statement.
Medical sources said 13 men had been wounded by gunfire and two had died. The army said the troops who entered the square did not have live ammunition and none was fired by soldiers. The army detained 42 people during the curfew hours yesterday.
The military blamed the trouble on what it described as elements “that backed the counter-revolution” — an apparent reference to Mubarak loyalists. They were trying to “sow discord between the army and the people”, it said.
Emarah said they included eight people dressed illegally in military uniform who had entered Tahrir during the protest on Friday. An investigation was under way, he said.
A former army officer said around 15 serving military officers had taken part in the protest to express anger with Tantawi and to show solidarity with the revolution.
Ibrahim Abdel Gawad, the ex-officer, said he spoke for the group of soldiers in uniform. He said 11 had been detained. He said the officers had worn uniforms to make clear they were defying the authority of Tantawi, who served as defence minister for two decades under Mubarak.
Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians had packed into Tahrir on Friday in the biggest rally since Feb. 18, when millions turned out across Egypt to celebrate Mubarak’s downfall.
In scenes reminiscent of the protests that brought down Mubarak, three army vehicles were burned out in the square and the roads were strewn with rocks from the overnight violence.
