(DNE Photo)
A man died as Friday protests in the north-east Cairo district of Matariya descended in to clashes with security forces.
It is the latest incident in an area that has been a frequent site of Islamist demonstrations.
The man, who remains unknown, succumbed to birdshot injuries and died en route to hospital, according to state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram.
The low-income area of Matariya has been the one of the most volatile sites of resistance and protest to the government, regularly hosting demonstrations by supporters of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
Egyptian security forces are known to frequently use birdshot in dispersing crowds and have often been held accountable for subsequent deaths. On the fourth anniversary of the 25 January Revolution, 23 were confirmed killed in clashes with security forces, 12 of whom were killed in Matariya. Eyewitnesses reported that the use of birdshot and live ammunition was behind many of the deaths.
The Ministry of Interior, which urged its officers to be “direct” and “decisive” in eliminating unrest in the area, said no civilian deaths during the anniversary resulted from the actions of security forces. The Ministry of Interior also said that in areas like Matariya, civilians died owing to the infiltration of the “terrorist Muslim Brotherhood”, who fired live ammunition and threw Molotov cocktails.
However, rights group Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) contend that all deaths resulted from clashes with security forces. State news reported that 43 people were arrested from Matariya and were charged with murder of civilians and security personnel and attempted murder.
