Some 100 people have been injured as supporters of the veteran Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak attacked protesters in Cairo to suppress the demonstration, local media said on Wednesday.
Masrawi news portal said several people were killed in the violent clashes at downtown Cairo's Tahrir Square, the main focus of the protesters demanding President Hosni Mubarak step down after his 30-year rule.
Thousands of Mubarak supporters arrived at the square riding horses and camels to clash with the protesters. The army has sent tanks and a helicopter to the square in anticipation of turmoil.
People not involved in the riots, including women and children, were running from the square fearing mass disorder. Shops, which were working on Wednesday, were shut down.
Protesters claimed journalists were snatched from the crowd by masked policemen who seized their cameras.
The Egyptian opposition has called on protesters to continue rallying until Mubarak steps down. The army called on protesters to end rallies and return home to "restore calm, security and stability" in the country as soon as possible.
Anti-government protests, which saw hundreds of thousands of demonstrators demanding President Mubarak's resignation, broke out in Egypt last week. The unrest, seen by many analysts as a major threat to repressive governments in the region, has already claimed the lives of at least 300 people and injured several thousand.
CAIRO, February 2 (RIA Novosti)
