Brotherhood changes tactics in attempt to reduce casualties

Published August 18th, 2013 - 11:00 GMT
A supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood and of ousted president Mohamed Morsi runs past a burning vehicle during clashes with security officers close to Cairo's Ramses Square, on August 16, 2013. (AFP)
A supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood and of ousted president Mohamed Morsi runs past a burning vehicle during clashes with security officers close to Cairo's Ramses Square, on August 16, 2013. (AFP)
The Muslim Brotherhood has reduced its number of marches to be staged on Sunday, suggesting the change in tactics may be an attempt to reduce human losses after hundreds died in confrontations with security forces two days ago.
  
Marchers planned to arrive at the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC), rather than Ramses Square in central Cairo, where bloody clashes erupted with the police on Saturday.
 
The National Alliance in Support of Legitimacy, set up by the Brotherhood to examine ways to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Morsi, said its activities will continue this week across Egypt as part of what they called the week of the ”rejection of the coup."
 
The Brotherhood is reportedly avoiding places where clashes have previously broken out, to reduce losses after 213 people were killed on Friday, according to the alliance. On Saturday, the Brotherhood avoided areas and restricted protest activities to Helwan, south of Cairo.
 
Sunday's marches will set off from Khatam al-Morsaleem and Estiqama mosques in Giza, Assad Ibn al-Fourat mosque in Dokki, al-Maraghi mosque in Helwan, al-Rayyan mosque in Maadi and Khaled Ibn al-Waleed mosque in Imbaba following afternoon prayers.
 
Elsewhere in Cairo, marches will set off from Abou Bakr al-Seddiq, al-Khulafaa al-Rasheden mosques in Heliopolis and Al-Aziz Bellah mosque in Zeitoun. All these protests will eventually pour into the area around the Supreme Constitutional Court where the Brotherhood hopes to stage a renewed sit-in.
 
 

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