Cairo 14 August 2013
Egypt declared a month-long state of emergency Wednesday as violence raged across the country following a crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.
The nationwide state of emergency will begin at 4:00 pm (1400 GMT), the presidency said in a statement read out on state television.
The exceptional measures came as "the security and order of the nation face danger due to deliberate sabotage, and attacks on public and private buildings and the loss of life by extremist groups," the presidency said.
Interim President Adly Mansour "has tasked the armed forces, in cooperation with the police, to take all necessary measures to maintain security and order and to protect public and private property and the lives of citizens."
Egypt's official news agency says 149 people have been killed in clashes across the nation between supporters of the ousted Islamist president and security forces.
The agency quoted a health ministry spokesman who also said 1,403 people have been wounded.
The casualty figure followed simultaneous raids by police early on Wednesday on two sprawling encampments of Morsi supporters. The raids sparked running street battles elsewhere in Cairo and other Egyptian cities.
Morsi was ousted in a July 3 military coup that followed days of mass protests by millions of Egyptians demanding that he steps down.
Published by: Hindustan Times