Update: Clashes intensify in Maadi amid nationwide violence

While the worst of the violence abated by Thursday morning after yesterday's fatal clashes, sporadic incidents continued to break out across the nation the day after pro-Morsi sit-ins were brutally dispersed by security forces.

Clashes in Maadi that began earlier in the afternoon were reportedly reignited Thursday evening as protesters attempted to revive their sit-in at Arab Square. There were reports of gunfire in the area. 

The Arab sit-in started Wednesday evening, but was dismantled the next morning. Residents in the area said that a growing number of supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi were roaming the surrounding streets throughout the day on Thursday.

Minor clashes first broke out around 6 pm, when residents confronted a march of Morsi supporters.

There are unconfirmed reports of one casualty resulting from an exchange of gunfire between protesters and police. Two eyewitnesses told Mada Masr that the victim was a porter from a nearby building. They said they saw a large pool of blood and that the wounded man was taken to hospital. His death has not been confirmed.

Some roads and the main bridge leading out of the area were also reportedly blocked. Sounds of gunshots were consistently heard in several areas throughout the day.

Basil Magdy, a Maadi resident and a member of the Dostour Party, witnessed the clashes unfold.

He said a pro-Morsi march of about 200 took off from Ahmed Zaki Street, and was met by residents who chanted against the deposed president.

The tense situation escalated into an exchange of rock throwing, after which the police appeared on the scene.

Magdy said the police fired shots in the air to disperse the crowd around the entrance of Maadi Club. When protesters responded by firing bird shot and scattered to Horreya Square, the Interior Ministry personnel left the scene.

Fady Adel, another Maadi resident, confirmed the story. He claimed that those taking part in the Arab sit-in were residents of the area known to belong to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Some young men residing in Maadi reportedly headed to the police station on Thursday afternoon to protect the premises, though there were no reportss of an imminent attack.

Clashes also erupted on Thursday between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and their opponents in the Victoria area of Alexandria. The state-run Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported that the two sides volleyed rocks and shot pellets, and that gun fire could be heard in the area.

A Reuters reporter told the satellite CBC channel that brigadier Taha Zaky, the head of security for the Al-Salam Bridge that connects Sinai to the rest of Egypt, and a conscript were killed in an attack on a security point in Arish late Thursday evening.

Two other attacks occurred in the area earlier on Thursday, when security sources reported the death of six soldiers after attacks on two different check points in Arish. Unknown assailants also allegedly set fire to the Arish city council today. The state-run daily Al-Ahram reported that the assailants broke the building’s windows and threw Molotov cocktails into the interior.

Security sources also reported an attack with heavy weapons on a police station in Assiut that allegedly resulted in the death of one soldier.

Elsewhere in Upper Egypt, one security worker was reportedly killed in an armed attack on the Museum of Mallawy in Minya.

Also today, hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood protesters stormed the Giza Governorate building, lobbing Molotov cocktails into it and setting it ablaze, MENA reported.

Police fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse the protesters, MENA added.

Al-Ahram reported an armed attack by unknown assailants on the traffic control unit in Matrouh. The assailants allegedly torched and vandalized the place.

Road blocking also continued as traffic flowing in both directions on Mehwer was blocked at different points of the day by burning tires.