Rival Egypt protesters clash as crisis spirals

Thousands of supporters and opponents of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak fought running battles in Cairo's main square yesterday, as the crisis in the country threatened to slide out of control.

Stones, bottles and firebombs were hurled by opposing groups in Tahrir Square as soldiers stood by without intervening.

Egypt's health minister later said the death toll from the clashes had risen to three and that over 600 were injured in the fighting.

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World leaders condemned the violence and called for restraint. They urged authorities to speed up the process for political change amid growing pressure on President Mubarak to step down earlier than his pledge to do so in September.

A military spokesman appeared on Egyptian state TV asking protesters to disperse, in a sign that the Army's toleration may be coming to an end.

Pro-government rioters blanketed the rooftops of buildings and dumped bricks and firebombs onto crowds below. Protesters claimed there were plainclothes police among their attackers and others were paid by the regime to assault them. Pro-government supporters on horseback and camels were dragged off the animals and beaten.

More than 200 Britons trying to leave Egypt have expressed an interest in taking a Foreign Office-chartered flight out of the country today.

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The latest clashes marked a dangerous new phase in Egypt's nine-day-old upheaval. There appears little immediate prospect of a cooling off period with the anti-Mubarak movement vowing to intensify protests to force the president out by tomorrow.

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