Egypt declared a state of emergency on Wednesday after troops stormed the camps of the supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi.
The country’s interim vice president Mohammed Mustafa al Baradei resigned shortly after this news, MSNBC writes.
The Egyptian military made efforts this morning to clear the two main Morsi supporter camps, in Raba’a al Adiwiya Mosque and Nadha Square, The Wall Street Journal reports. The security forces were described as brutal, firing tear gas at unarmed individuals and blocking reporters and human rights activists from observing the clearing of the sit-ins. Human rights groups have on more than one occasion voiced concerns over the army’s use of brutal force, but the Egyptian government continues to assure that "[f]orces have exercised self restraint and professionalism in their actions, this is reflected in the low number of injuries [and] [t]he government […] will stand firmly against the attempts of some elements to attack public buildings and vital institutions and police stations.”
According to BBC News, the health ministry reported that 149 people have died, while the pro-Morsi group the Muslim Brotherhood said over 2,000 were killed. A curfew will be enforced in 11 provinces in Cairo, and the national emergency is expected to last for a month.