CAIRO, August 14 (RIA Novosti) – Egypt’s interim authorities on Wednesday declared a nationwide state of emergency in the midst of clashes between police and protesters that have left almost 150 people dead in the most populous Arab nation.
The state of emergency, which includes a nighttime curfew in Cairo and 10 provinces, has been scheduled to last for a month.
According to an updated report by Egypt’s Health Ministry, at least 149 people have been killed and 1,409 injured since security forces moved in early Wednesday on tent camps in Cairo occupied by supporters of former President Mohammed Morsi, who was ousted in July.
The clashes later spread beyond the capital to the cities of Alexandria, Minya, Assiut, Fayoum and Suez, as well as the Buhayra and Beni Suef provinces.
Vice President Mohammed El Baradei has announced his resignation from the interim government, denouncing the violence and indicating his disagreement with interim President Adly Mansour over the crackdown on the protesters.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on all political forces in Egypt to prevent further escalation of violence and exercise utmost restraint for the sake of preserving national integrity "in a country that has long-lasting friendly ties with Russia."
The United Nations and the EU have also condemned the violence, saying it would only hinder democratic processes in the country.
