MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cairo’s Tahir Square battle rages on; snipers shooting on protestors

Pro-Mubarak followers on camel and horse marched against demonstrators

Gunfire has rung out in the early hours of Thursday around Cairo's Tahrir Square, where Egyptian anti-government protesters are camping out. At least two people are reported dead. On Wednesday three died in clashes with supporters of President Hosni Mubarak.

Hundreds of people were wounded as rival groups fought pitched battles in and around Tahrir Square, in the worst violence in nine days of protests.

The protesters are demanding President Mubarak's resignation. He says he will serve out his current presidential term, his fifth, which ends in September.

The unrest has left about 300 people dead across the country over more than a week, according to UN estimates. Cairo's Tahrir Square has been the main focus of the protests.

There are reports early on Thursday that supporters of President Mubarak have been firing on people in the square from the October Bridge, with unknown numbers wounded.

The US State Department has urged all Americans in Egypt who wish to leave to go to airports “immediately”, adding that delay was “not advisable”.

Wednesday's violence began when thousands of supporters of President Mubarak surged into the square. One anti-government protester told the BBC that the pro-Mubarak activists had initiated the fighting.

“They started throwing stones at us,” the man, named as Zaccaria, said. “Then some of us started throwing stones at them and then we chased them out of the square. They returned once again with the horses and the whips and the thugs.”

Opposition supporters say many in the pro-government camp were paid by the authorities to demonstrate, and allowed into the square by the troops surrounding it. The two sides pelted each other with stones in running battles lasting for hours.

Egyptian troops refused to intervene, but fired into the air to try to disperse people.

Egyptian Health Minister Ahmed Sameh Farid told the Associated Press news agency a member of the security forces died when he fell off a bridge.

Two other people died from unspecified wounds in hospital, he added. It was not clear whether they were critics or supporters of Mr Mubarak.

Clashes between the rival groups were also reported in Egypt's second city, Alexandria.

Late on Wednesday Vice-President Omar Suleiman urged “all citizens to return to their homes and abide by the curfew”.

In its earlier statement, Egypt's army called for demonstrators to return to their homes.

“Your message has arrived, your demands became known... you are capable of bringing normal life to Egypt,” said a spokesman in a message broadcast on state television.

In a speech on Tuesday night Mr Mubarak - who has been in office for nearly 30 years - promised to leave at the next polls and pledged constitutional reform.

He said he would devote his remaining time in power to ensuring a peaceful transition.

US President Barack Obama responded by saying an orderly transition “must begin now”.

Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei dismissed Mr Mubarak's move as “a trick” to stay in power, and Tahrir Square protesters have vowed to continue their demonstrations until Mr Mubarak quits.

Abdelhalim Kandil, leader of Egypt's Kifaya (Enough) opposition movement, said Mr Mubarak's offer not to serve a sixth term was not enough.

“I will tell you very simply that there is an unprecedented popular movement that rejects the presence of the president on a scope that has not been seen before, that is calling for the will of the people to be imposed,” he said.

If Mr Mubarak does not step down, demonstrators have planned to march on the presidential palace. Meanwhile, internet services were returning to the country, having been cut off for days by the government. (BBC)