At Least 30 Killed in Protests Against Egypt Coup

Pro-Junta Mobs Attack Demonstrators

Egypt’s Health Ministry has confirmed at least 30 deaths and over 200 people wounded today, as supporters of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) government, deposed earlier this week in a military coup, rallied in Cairo and elsewhere to protest the junta.

Troops from the Egyptian Republican Guard shot several of the protesters, and mobs of junta supporters, many of whom participated in last Friday’s protest which precipitated the coup, attacked the pro-Morsi crowds, accusing them of trying to “divide” Egypt.

FJP protesters vowed to remain in the streets in spite of the violence, and said they will not accept the “interim” government imposed by the junta. President Morsi and materially all of the top FJP leadership are now missing, detained at locations unknown without charges.

The African Union has also become the first international body to take serious note of the coup, announcing that it will suspend Egypt’s membership until civilian rule is restored. This is standard practice in the AU, though with many Western nations refusing to call the coup a “coup” it was uncertain if the AU would simply gloss over it as well.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.