Egyptian security forces shot dead at least 70 supporters of ousted President Mohammed Mursi on Saturday, his Muslim Brotherhood said, days after the army chief called for a popular mandate to tackle “violence and terrorism”.
Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad said the shooting started shortly before pre-dawn morning prayers on the fringes of a round-the-clock sit-in being staged by backers of Mursi, who was toppled by the army more than three weeks ago, Reuters reports.
“They are not shooting to wound, they are shooting to kill,” Haddad said. The death toll might be much higher, he said.
Al Jazeera’s Egypt television station reported that 120 had been killed and some 4,500 injured in the early morning violence.
