Cairo: police want to starve out islamist protest camps
The informant said that the implementation of the plan could take up to three months.
After that, the access to the protest camp around the rabea-al-adawija mosque is to be blocked in the next few days. The police will then attack the camp of the supporters of the ousted president mohammed mursi with trangas and water cannons. In addition, the water will be turned off to the protesters and food will be prevented from entering the tent city.
Numerous foreign diplomats had warned the interim government in recent weeks against a violent crackdown on the demonstrators who have occupied not only the streets around the mosque but also al-nahdha square in cairo.
The islamists are calling for the reinstatement of mursi, who was elected on 3 march. July had been deposed by the army after mass protests. They say they will remain in their tent city until this demand is met. Egyptian authorities hope, however, that some of the protesters will lose their desire to camp out on the streets for weeks to come.
Last week, the military-appointed interim president adli mansur declared that diplomatic efforts by western and arab states to resolve the crisis in egypt had failed. The european union nevertheless wants to stay involved.
On thursday, agyptian auben minister nabil fahmi received a call from his french counterpart laurent fabius. According to the eaves ministry in cairo, fabius expressed concern about the tensions between supporters of the different political camps. He also expressed his hope that a political, peaceful solution would soon be found.
