Egypt plunges into deeper crisis as army opens fire on protesters, Over 50 killed; Brotherhood calls for all-out struggle

July 8, 2013
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Cairo, Jul 8: Egyptian soldiers and police guarding a military building opened fire on supporters of the ousted president on Monday in bloodshed that claimed over 50 lives, officials and witnesses said, and plunged the divided country deeper into crisis with calls by Islamists for all-out struggle against the army.

The carnage outside the Republican Guard building in Cairo — where toppled President Mohamed Morsi was first held last week — marked the signal biggest death toll since massive protests forced Morsi's government from power and brought in caretaker rule overseen by Egypt's powerful armed forces.

Even before all the bodies were counted, there were conflicting accounts on how the violence began — with Morsi's backers saying it was an unprovoked attack and the military saying they came under assault first.

However, the violence is almost certain to draw sharper battle lines between Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood and their opponents who claim Morsi squandered his election victory and betrayed by democratic spirit of the Arab Spring revolution by seeking only to boost his cadre of backers. The military, which effectively supported by the anti-Morsi movement, now may face pressures to impose stricter security measures to try to keep unrest from spilling out of control.

Just hours after the shootings, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood urged Egyptians to rise up against the military, which is claimed was pushing Egypt into becoming "a new Syria" — an ominous reference to a civil war that has killed more than 93,000 people since March 2011.

A military spokesman said gunmen attempted to storm the building at dawn, prompting the clashes. One witness, university student Mirna el-Helbawi, also said gunmen loyal to Morsi opened fire first, including from the roof of a nearby mosque. El-Helbawi, 21, lives in an apartment overlooking the scene.

Supporters of Morsi, meanwhile, said the security forces fired on hundreds of protesters, including women and children, at a sit-in encampment outside the building as they performed early morning prayers. It was not immediately possible to reconcile the two versions.

Regardless of the reason, the escalating chaos will further complicate Egypt's relations with Washington and other Western allies, which had supported Morsi as the country's first elected leader and now are reassessing policies toward the military-backed group that forced him out.

At field hospitals, at least six dead bodies had been laid out on the ground, some with severe wounds, according to video from by pan-Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera. The bodies had been draped with an Egyptian flag and pictures of Morsi. Pools of blood covered the floor and doctors struggled to deal with gaping wounds among some of the hundreds injured.

A medic from the area, Hesham Agami, said ambulances were unable to transport more than 200 wounded to hospitals because the military had blocked off the roads. Health Ministry spokesman Khaled el-Khatib said initial reports indicated at least 40 fatalities and 322 people wounded, although he gave no details on the circumstances of the bloodshed.

A Muslim Brotherhood spokesman, Mourad Ali, said army troops opened fire at dawn on the protesters outside the Republican Guard building, where Morsi was initially held but was later moved to an undisclosed Defense Ministry facility. The account was repeated by others.

"They opened fire with live ammunition and lobbed tear gas," said Al-Shaimaa Younes, who was at the sit-in. "There was panic and people started running. I saw people fall."

Egyptian state TV showed images provided by the military of the scene of the sit-in, where scores of protesters were pelting troops with rocks and setting tires on fire. Soldiers in riot gear and carrying shields formed lines a few meters (yards) away.

A fire raged from an apartment in a building overlooking the clashes. Images showed men throwing spears from atop nearby building rooftops. Other protesters were lobbing fire bombs at the troops. It was not clear when the footage was filmed. Security officers were showing cameras bullet casings, and troops were carrying injured colleagues.

Military spokesman Col Ahmed Mohammed Ali said initial information indicates that gunmen affiliated with the Brotherhood tried to storm the Republican Guard building shortly after dawn, firing live ammunition and throwing firebombs from a nearby mosque and rooftops. One police officer on the scene was killed, he said.

A statement by the armed forces carried by the state news agency said "an armed terrorist group" tried to storm the building, killing one officer and seriously wounding six. The statement said the forces arrested 200 attackers, armed with guns and ammunition.

Ali, the Brotherhood spokesman, dismissed such versions, saying the protesters didn't start the confrontation. He said the military had warned protesters it will break up the sit-in.

Morsi supporters have been holding rallies and a sit-in outside the Republican Guard building since the military deposed Morsi on Wednesday. The military chief replaced Morsi with an interim president until presidential elections are held. The transition plan is backed by liberal and secular opponents of Morsi, and had been also supported by the ultraconservative Islamist Al-Nour party and both Muslim and Christian religious leaders.

Soon after report of the latest attack, however, Al-Nour party spokesman Nader Bakkar said on his Twitter account his party is withdrawing its support for the transition plan in response to the "massacre."

Morsi's supporters refuse to recognize the change in leadership and insist Morsi be reinstated, and have vowed to continue their sit-ins outside the Republican uard building as well as at a nearby mosque.

Morsi's opponents backed by western forces are also holding rival rallies. They say the ousted president lost his legitimacy by mismanaging the country and not ruling democratically, leading to a mass revolt that began June 30, the first anniversary of Morsi's assumption of power.

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News Network
January 10,2020

Dubai, Jan 10: Iran denied on Thursday that a Ukrainian airliner that crashed near Tehran had been hit by a missile, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei said in a statement, according to state TV.

"All these reports are a psychological warfare against Iran. All those countries whose citizens were aboard the plane can send representatives and we urge Boeing to send its representative to join the process of investigating the black box".

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Saudi Gazette
May 27,2020

Riyadh, May 27: Following the announcement of easing of lockdown measures, which includes reopening of all mosques for daily congressional as well as Friday prayers across the Kingdom except the holy city of Makkah, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance has set mandatory guidelines.

In a circular issued to mosque staff, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh has instructed that all mosques must comply with the following precautionary measures and instructions:

1. Open mosques 15 minutes before the Adhan and close them 10 minutes after prayer

2. Reduce the waiting period between the Adhan and Iqamah to 10 minutes

3. Open windows and doors from entering time to the end of the prayer

4. Remove copies of Holy Qur’an and other books temporarily from mosques

5. Ensure attendees keep a distance of two meters between each other

6. Ensure one space is left between each row

7. Close all water coolers and refrigerators

8. Do not allow distribution of water or food in mosques

9. Close toilets and places of ablution

Precautionary measures on Friday prayers are as follows:

1. Open mosques 20 minutes before Friday prayer and closing them 20 minutes after prayer.

2. Friday sermon with prayer should not exceed 15 minutes.

The circular also stipulates to keep the suspension of the religious courses, programs and lectures, as well as the memorizing Holy Qur'an sessions in the mosques and to continue education and lectures remotely until further notice.

The circular pointed out that the imams of mosques should urge the worshipers to take the following precautionary measures:

1. Wear a face mask

2. Bring their own prayer rugs and not leave them after the prayer

3. Prevent accompanying children under 15 years of age from entering mosques

4. Perform ablution at home

5. Avoid crowding when entering or exiting mosques

Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Ministry of Interior clarified later in the day that people are allowed to perform congressional prayers in their locality during the time of curfew.

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News Network
July 20,2020

Abu Dhabi, Jul 20: The United Arab Emirates launched its first-ever interplanetary Hope Probe mission to Mars from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre at 01:58 a.m. (local time) on Monday.

"United Arab Emirates (UAE) launches its first mission to Mars, the 'Hope Mars Mission' from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center," UAE Space Agency said on its Twitter page.

The spacecraft is expected to reach Mars orbit in about 200 days from now and then begin its mission to study the Red Planet's atmosphere, WAM news agency reported.

Once it enters Mars' orbit in the first quarter of 2021, the Hope probe will mark the UAE's 50th anniversary.

The probe will travel 493 million kilometres into space in a journey that will take seven months, and will orbit the Red Planet for one full Martian year of 687 days to provide the first truly global picture of the Martian atmosphere.

The Hope probe will be the first to study the Martian climate throughout daily and seasonal cycles. It will observe the weather phenomena on Mars such as the massive famous dust storms that have been known to engulf the Red Planet, as compared to the short and localised dust storms on Earth.

It will also examine the interaction between the upper and lower layers of the Martian atmosphere and causes of the Red Planet's surface corrosion, as well as study why Mars is losing its upper atmosphere.

Exploring connections between today's Martian weather and the ancient climate of the Red Planet will give deeper insights into the past and future of Earth as well as the potential of life on Mars and other distant planets.

The Hope Mars Mission is considered as the biggest strategic and scientific national initiative announced by UAE's President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2014. The UAE will be the first Arab nation to embark on a space mission to the Red Planet in a journey that contributes to the international science community as a service to human knowledge.

The interplanetary mission is the first by any West Asian, Arab or Muslim majority country.

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