Archive for Central Security Forces

Five migrants arrested in Sinai

by admin
December 26th, 2012

Central Security Forces arrested five migrants in Central Sinai, allegedly en route to cross illegally into Israel.

The Interior Ministry said in a bulletin Wednesday that the five are citizens of African countries and were halted by security forces after the exchange of fire. The ministry assured that proper legal procedures are being undertaken.

Edited translation from MENA

Tags: , , , , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Protesters chant against Morsy as he enters palace

by admin
December 18th, 2012

Dozens of protesters at Ettehadiya Palace chanted against the Muslim Brotherhood and President Mohamed Morsy after seeing his convoy enter the palace.

The protesters chanted, "Morsy, you spare wheel, we will send you back to prison," "Leave!" and "I swear by its skies and land, it is the supreme guide who devastated the country."

The Republican Guards responded by forming a human wall to protect the president's convoy.

For the 15th day, protesters set up popular committees to check the identities of people entering the site of the sit-in, while Al-Masry Al-Youm reported that the numbers of the Republican Guards and Central Security Forces was reduced in the area of the protest, with more security forces seen at the palace gates.

There were 20 Central Security trucks on Haleem Aboul Kheir Street, which is close to the gate the president uses to enter the palace. There were two armored vehicles in front of Gates 1 and 2 on Ibrahim al-Laqqany.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Protesters planning mass demo return to presidential palace

by admin
December 17th, 2012

Protesters headed back to the Ettehadiya Presidential Palace on Monday in preparation for a mass demonstration the National Salvation Front has planned for tomorrow against the alleged rigging of the first round of voting in the constitutional referendum.

In front of the palace’s main gate, protesters chanted slogans against the manipulation of the referendum results and called for President Mohamed Morsy’s resignation. Tight security measures were taken in the area.

Small scuffles broke out between protesters and security forces when the demonstrators attempted to pass the barriers in front of the gate. Central Security Forces arrested some of the protesters.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , , , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Islamists surround Wafd Party, newspaper

by admin
December 16th, 2012

Hundreds of Islamists gathered around the Wafd Party headquarters in Dokki on Saturday night, chanting loudly and using fireworks, Egypt Independent witnessed.

Shortly after, gunshots were heard and tear gas bombs were thrown in the area. Magdy Sarhan, the editor of Al-Wafd daily, told CBC satellite channel that party members were trapped inside the building.

Although the identity of the attackers was not clear, members of the Wafd Party accused Hazemoun, the followers of Salafi sheikh and former presidential candidate Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, of perpetrating an attack against them.

But Fouad Badrawy, secretary general of the party, denied earlier that the party received any threats. In statement to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Badrawy said that the Central Security Forces sent eight cars to secure the headquarters from potential threats. 

After the attack, CSF soldiers were deployed outside the headquarters and dispersed the protesters.

The Popular Current, former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi’s political party, reported that the Hazemoun group has been circulating a call for a gathering in Mohandiseen to besiege the headquarters of the current on Facebook.

Similarly, Muslim Brotherhood member Essam al-Erian told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the security should be held responsible for the attacks "because they have been weak in following thugs and trouble makers."

Representatives of the current added in a statement that some members received phone threats about supporters of Abu Ismail intending to invade their headquarters. They held the government responsible for any attack on them.

 

Meanwhile, Ahmad Helmy, head of general security, told Al-Hayat satellite channel that initial investigations show that the perpetrators of the attacks on the party belong to the Hazemoun group. He said that the group had initially headed to the Popular Current's headquarters, and were followed by security forces there. Then they left, heading to the Wafd Party where they were also followed by security forces. There, he added, the group started using firearms and the police fired tear gas in response. 

The privately-owned Al-Masry Al-Youm and Al-Watan newspapers have also received threats of attacks by Islamist groups, sources within both organizations said. The Hazemoun group had just ended a sit-in at the Media Production City with the aim of purging media of anti-Islamist propaganda, they said. 

 

Tags: , , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Islamists surround Wafd Party, newspapers

by admin
December 15th, 2012

Hundreds of Islamists gathered around the Wafd Party headquarters in Dokki on Saturday night, chanting loudly and using fireworks, Egypt Independent witnessed.

Shortly after, gunshots were heard and tear gas bombs were thrown in the area. Magdy Sarhan, the editor of Al-Wafd daily, told CBC satellite channel that party members were been trapped inside the building.

Although the identity of the attackers was not clear, members of the Wafd Party accused Hazemoun, the followers of Salafi sheikh and former presidential candidate Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, of perpetrating an attack against them.

But Fouad Badrawy, secretary general of the party, denied earlier that the party received any threats. In statement to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Badrawy said that the Central Security Forces sent eight cars to secure the headquarters from potential threats. 

After the apparent attack, CSF soldiers were deployed outside the headquarters and dispersed the protesters.

The Popular Current, former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi’s political party, reported that the Hazemoun group has been circulating a call for a gathering in Mohandiseen to besiege the headquarters of the current on Facebook.

Representatives of the current added in a statement that some members received phone threats about supporters of Abu Ismail intending to invade their headquarters. They held the government responsible for any attack on them.

Islamists are also apparently en route to protest outside the headquarters of the privately owned dailies Al-Watan and Al-Masry Al-Youm.

Tags: , , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Interior minister: Police maintain political neutrality

by admin
December 10th, 2012

The interior minister reiterated his ministry’s political neutrality Monday, saying that members of the police have been killed and injured while protecting citizens, property and vital facilities.

“The police is a national authority and does not serve one party at the expense of another,” Interior Minister Ahmed Gamal Eddin said during a meeting with Central Security Forces leaders and officers at the service’s command office. “The police will not take sides with any political group against another in the recent political developments.”

The minister lauded security forces’ performance, calling on officers to continue to do their duties and to ignore “miscalculated criticisms.”

“You are taking the correct course, and you are our striking force,” the minister said, addressing the officers.

Gamal Eddin stressed that police reforms would be conducted by the police themselves, and he also thanked the military for its support for the police during recent events.

Clashes and protests have erupted nationwide as a result of President Mohamed Morsy’s constitutional declaration issued last month. Morsy canceled the declaration late Saturday, though he also issued a new one stipulating that many of the previous one’s effects would still be in place.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Doctor dies following Wednesday clashes

by admin
December 8th, 2012

Another person was killed in the clashes near the presidential palace on the night of Wednesday, when supporters of President Mohamed Morsy stormed a sit-in by his opposition demanding the cancelation of a constitutional declaration with sweeping presidential powers. 

Dr. Mohamed Sinousy, a member of Tahrir Doctors, was shot in the head with a live bullet from a shotgun on his way home after working in the field clinic in Heliopolis near Roxy Square; he died in the hospital the next evening.
 
He was a young man close to graduating from medical school at the University of Mansoura, and had been an active member of Tahrir Doctors since its establishment on the second day of Egypt’s 18-day uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak.  
 
During the clashes near the presidential palace on the night of Wednesday, Tahrir Doctors set up a small field clinic in front of the gate of Heliolido Sporting Club on Hegaz Street close to the clashes in Roxy Square.
 
Dr. Sherif Zidan, a surgeon at Ain Shams University Hospital, and an organizer of Tahrir Doctors said, “Lots of people came to the field hospital, more than 1,600.”  Zidan confirmed that most of the injuries were caused by bird shot pellets, rocks, sticks and knives or machetes.  The ambulances would bring the less serious cases to the field hospital to be treated, and then would stand ready nearby.
 
Throughout the night many were treated and discharged, but the more serious cases were triaged and put into an ambulance for transport to a hospital.  Zidan said, “From the people that we treated there were four who had very serious cases.”
 
At around 2:30am in the morning, the clinic was attacked by Muslim Brotherhood, Morsy supporters and Central Security Forces.  One of the doctors was injured.  Another, who as he tried to help the injured attackers was himself caught and beaten severely.  Many of the medical supplies were destroyed and several of the patients were injured further as well.  The doctors fended off the attack around 3:30am, putting the patients into ambulances to get them away from the violence.
 
At 5am, after packing up the supplies that remained, doctors dispersed to go home.
 
Sinousy left the group and walked alone to Salah Salem to try to find a taxi to get home.  He was shot in the head by a shotgun and was taken to the hospital.
 
His fellow doctors received the news that he died in the hospital on Thursday evening, as they were preparing to set up another field clinic near the Heliopolis club in anticipation of the large marches approaching the presidential palace on Friday.
 
Muslim Brotherhood members gathered in Al-Azhar Mosque on Friday to participate in the funeral of martyrs who died during the Wednesday clashes.
Tags: , , , , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Update: 17 injured in clashes at presidential palace

by admin
December 4th, 2012

Egyptian Ambulance Authority head Mohamed Sultan said Tuesday night that 17 people have been injured so far in the protests at the presidential palace in Heliopolis, adding in a statement that the injuries are mostly bruises and difficulty breathing due to the tear gas. He reported that there have been no deaths.

Interior Minister Ahmed Gamal Eddin told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Central Security Forces did not withdraw from the area, but were relocated after protesters tried to cross the barbed wire around the palace.

The minister stressed that the demonstrations at the palace and Tahrir Square are peaceful, adding that the CSF are committed to securing them.

President Mohamed Morsy left the palace on Tuesday evening, two sources reported to Reuters, after protesters angered by his 22 November decree expanding his powers clashed with security forces outside.

The Interior Minister said that the president left the palace after he concluded all his meetings, implying that his leaving was not because of the protest.

Al-Masry Al-Youm reported that Central Security Forces had withdrawn completely from the area surrounding the presidential palace, while numbers of protesters grew. Members of the Republican Guard were stationed inside the palace.

Minor clashes erupted between protesters and security forces after some protesters tried to cross barbed wire set up by security forces earlier in the day.  Security personnel fired tear gas canisters, and some protesters were injured in the clashes, Al-Masry Al-Youm reported.

Al-Masry Al-Youm estimated that there are tens of thousands of protesters in the area. Former presidential candidate Khaled Ali was reported to be leading a march to the area in the evening.

Two marches including hundreds of protesters from the Korba and Abbasseya neighborhoods had arrived in Heliopolis in the evening as part of the march planned to the presidential palace.

Hundreds of protesters gathered near the presidential palace earlier Tuesday as part of the “Final Warning” demonstrations against the 22 November constitutional declaration and the draft constitution, which is scheduled for referendum on 15 December.  

Quarrels took place between protesters and the Central Security Forces after the latter prevented the former from proceeding further toward the vicinity of the presidential palace. The protesters accused the security forces of favoring the Muslim Brotherhood as they have during past demonstrations allowed them to gather and show support for President Mohamed Morsy near the palace.

Protesters put banners on the barbed wire, including an image of Morsy in pharaonic attire bearing the phrase, “Down with the pharaoh president,” chanting, “The people want to bring down the regime.”

Military spokesperson Ahmed Mohamed Ali denied on Tuesday that the Armed Forces had sent troops to secure the presidential palace, stressing that guarding the palace was not among the Armed Forces’ duties.

Ali added that the Armed Forces are not part of any political conflict and are neutral toward all political forces.

Protesters who gathered on Mirghany and Ibrahim al-Laqqany streets close to the palace earlier Tuesday could not reach the palace due to the barbed wire.

The protesters chanted, “We want bread, freedom and to bring down Constituent Assembly” and, “Down with the rule of the [Muslim Brotherhood] supreme guide.”

One of the officers securing the palace prevented two ambulances from driving by. The officer told Al-Masry Al-Youm that he was given orders not to allow vehicles to drive by or people to gather around the palace.

Meanwhile, the Freedom and Justice Party’s media adviser, Mourad Ali, preemptively laid responsibility for any violence at the presidential palace during protests on Tuesday on the opposition.

“We welcome protests anywhere, so long as they are peaceful without any form of violence or hindering work of state institutions,” he told reporters. “We staged protests last Saturday. Millions took part. No cases of harassment or attacks on anyone or state buildings erupted.”

Ali laid responsibility on Constitution Party head Mohamed ElBaradei, Popular Current founder Hamdeen Sabbahi, former MP Amr Hamzawy and Wafd Party chief Al-Sayed al-Badawy for violence that could take place during the protests. “Like we shouldered responsibility for our protests and succeeded in organizing them, they should bear responsibility for protests they called for, as well.”

Political forces had called earlier for protests Tuesday in front of the presidential palace against the constitutional declaration issued by President Mohamed Morsy on 22 November. Two marches were staged from the Nour and Raba’a al-Adaweya mosques to the presidential palace, while a demonstration is also ongoing in Tahrir Square.

Demonstrators gathered in Tahrir Tuesday before marching. The demonstrations were sparked by the political crisis that resulted after the declaration, which protected the Shura Council and Constituent Assembly from being dissolved and made Morsy’s decisions unchallengeable.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Security forces assault photojournalist in clashes near Tahrir

by admin
November 28th, 2012

Central Security Forces reportedly physically assaulted photojournalist Ahmed Gomaa of the privately-owned Al-Dostor newspaper on Tuesday while he was covering clashes between protesters and security forces in Simón Bolívar Square near the US Embassy in Cairo.

An ambulance transferred Gomaa to Misr International Hospital for treatment after he felt severe fatigue. According to eyewitnesses the police confiscated his equipment, his personal belongings, and his cell phone.

Gomaa’s colleagues said that Journalists Syndicate has not contacted him, and they expect him to file a complaint against the Interior Ministry once he recovers.

Photos of Gomaa circulated on several news outlets, showing swelling and signs of a brutal beating on his arms and shoulders.

In a similar incident on Monday, security forces physically assaulted Mohamed al-Qamash, a journalist at Al-Siyasi magazine, an Al-Masry Al-Youm corporation publication, while he was covering clashes at in the same square.

A fire began near the embassy while protesters were marching in the funeral of April 6 Youth member Gaber Salah, known as Jika, who died Sunday from injuries suffered in clashes on Mohamed Mahmoud Street earlier this week.

After the fire broke out, Qamash was heading back to his office when security forces seized his cell phone and beat him with sticks, witnesses reported.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)

Four injured in Sinai blast

by admin
November 25th, 2012

Four people were injured in a blast at a partially constructed building belonging to the Central Security Forces in Sinai, a security source said Sunday

The blast took place at 1 am and targeted a police station under construction in the Qaseema area of central Sinai, according to the source, who added that four workers inside were injured.

The source added that powerful explosives were placed inside by unknown assailants, and that the building was being built for police and security forces guarding the gas pipeline to Jordan.

Another blast targeting an under-construction building for the intelligence services took place in the Safa area in Rafah late on Saturday. No casualties were reported

Armed Forces personnel went to the scene of the blast to check for more explosives, and were still inspecting the scene at the time of reporting.

The motive behind the attack is unknown.

Unknown assailants have been mounting attacks in Sinai against security installations since August, when gunmen killed 16 Egyptian soldiers at a military checkpoint near the Israeli border.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: , ,
Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
Comments (0)
Next Page »