Egypt death toll: 97
Posted Jan 30, 2011 5:21 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
EGYPT, Cairo – Anti-government protests continue for the sixth straight day in Egypt, demanding the resignation of longtime president Hosni Mubarak.
At least 97 people have been killed since the turmoil began Tuesday. Amongst these are two children and ten police officers. Over 2,000 people have been injured.
President Hosni Mubarak fired his government and promised vague reforms, but has refused to step down.
Egyptian military have moved into the protest to calm the tense situation. In Cairo, tanks have surrounded the popular Tahir Square.
CNN’s Fred Pleitgen said that people are happy to see soldiers instead of security forces. “We saw armor personal carriers rolling through the streets here.”
“[The] people [were] greeting the army and chanting the army and the Egyptian people, “we are one,” and that’s really something that has taken a lot of steam out of the situation,” said Pleitgen.
Egyptians are very angry with Mubarak and it is very uncertain at this point when things will return to normal. In Alexandria, at least 2,000 people have gathered in Ramal Square.
“Everybody is smiling, everybody shouting. They are saying that the regime isn’t legitimate. They have no right to stay in power,” report’s CNN’s Saad Abedine.
“They are shouting, “Mubarak get out.” They’re shouting the military and the people will change the regime.”
Looters have taken over the streets, robbing and setting fires, and among the chaos are foreigners who are trying to figure out how they will get out of the country.
One resident that lives within the protest area has yet to leave her house since Thursday. She told 680News, “You can hear protest in our area; you can just hear the people chanting.”
“To be safe, I went to the supermarket and bought a lot of essentials. Our stove is run on gas canisters so if I run out of gas, I don’t know if I will be able to get anymore,” she said.
Early Saturday morning, mobile phone services were disrupted but have now been restored but internet service remains disrupted.
The Government ordered the communication’s blackout on Thursday to try and prevent protesters from organizing on social networks.
The Foreign Affairs department have advised Canadians that are about to travel to Egypt to avoid all non-essential travel to Cairo, Alexandria and Suez. However; if you are already there, use plenty caution.
About 6,500 Canadians live in Egypt and about 80,000 Canadians visit there each year.
