SUPPORTERS OF Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak yesterday stormed Tahrir Square at the heart of Cairo and attacked some 10,000 protesters calling for his resignation.
Three people have been killed and 600 people on both sides were wounded, some seriously.
The loyalists, who had massed on the periphery of the square during the morning, breached the barricades on foot or riding horses and camels. They attacked anti-government protesters with staves and whips and hurled Molotov cocktails into the square. Petrol bombs were lobbed from buildings by the square, some landing in the garden of the Egyptian museum.
Demonstrators retaliated by pelting the attackers with rubble collected from a construction site.
Pro-Mubarak elements had come armed. Demonstrators were searched for weapons when they entered the square.
The protesters claimed the attackers were members of the 350,000-strong internal security forces. This was denied by the interior ministry, criticised last week when black-uniformed special police assaulted protesters with tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and buckshot.
Nobel laureate and opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei called on the army to intervene to prevent a bloodbath but soldiers, many not carrying weapons, stood aside and refused to get involved in the worst round of violence since January 25th when demonstrators launched their call for Mr Mubarak to retire.
During the morning, the army urged the protesters to leave the square as Mr Mubarak had announced his intention to step down next September. The protesters renewed their demand for him to stand down immediately.
Until the loyalists massed on the streets of the capital and invaded the precincts of Tahrir (Liberation) Square, the protesters had set the agenda. The initiative was seized by the Mubarak camp when the loyalists staged their assault on the square, dangerously destabilising the situation.
Dr ElBaradei called the Mubarak loyalists “a bunch of thugs” and expressed fear of a bloodbath. But the fact the soldiers manning the tanks round the square did nothing to stop armed loyalist elements showed the military had decided to back Mr Mubarak, thereby alienating millions of Egyptians.
The army, the most respected state institution, has major political and economic interests in maintaining the Mubarak regime. During his time in power, the military has played an important political role and established a vast commercial empire. The assault on Tahrir Square has almost certainly put on hold negotiations with representatives of the protest movement and traditional opposition parties.
The Egyptian uprising was sparked by the revolt in Tunisia which sent president Zine al- Abidine Ben Ali into exile in Saudi Arabia, the only Arab country which has expressed support for Mr Mubarak.
King Abdullah of Jordan replaced his prime minister on Tuesday after popular protests against his economic policies, while Yemeni president Ali Abullah Saleh said yesterday he would not stand for re-election.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was in contact with Irish citizens resident in Egypt who have registered with the Irish embassy. It is understood 200 other Irish citizens are holidaying in the country. About nine Irish holidaymakers flew out of Egypt on a chartered flight yesterday.