Soldiers and police have been condemned for beating protesters, including women, on the groundAt least one person has died in fresh clashes between protesters and troops in the Egyptian capital Cairo, bringing the death toll since Friday to 11.Soldiers and police moved into Tahrir Square before dawn, using batons and tear gas to drive out the protesters, who retaliated by throwing stones.By dawn, the demonstrators had returned to the square, while the troops again manned barricades in nearby streets.The US secretary of state has said she is "deeply concerned" by the violence.Hillary Clinton urged security forces "to respect and protect the universal rights of all Egyptians, including the rights to peaceful free expression and assembly"."Those who are protesting should do so peacefully and refrain from acts of violence," Mrs Clinton added.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also said he was highly alarmed at the "excessive use of force employed by the security forces", and called for the authorities to act with restraint and uphold human rights.In recent weeks, thousands have taken to the streets, demanding the ruling military council hand over power to a civilian government.The council assumed presidential powers after Hosni Mubarak stepped down in February in the wake of a popular uprising. It has pledged to hand power to an elected president by July.Patches of bloodOn Monday, police and soldiers moved into Tahrir Square at about 03:00 (01:00 GMT), seeking to drive the demonstrators out, witnesses said.The protesters fled down nearby streets away from the cabinet office and parliament building, where they have been throwing rocks and petrol bombs at security forces.By dawn, the demonstrators had begun returning to the square, and security forces took up positions again behind barricades."Rocks and Molotov cocktails are being thrown on both sides. Water canons are used against protesters, and from time to time we hear gunshots coming from the security forces' side," one witness, Ahmed Raafat, told the BBC.The BBC's Yolande Knell in Cairo says there are patches of blood on the ground in Tahrir Square and many activists have fresh injuries.Assistant Health Minister Adel Adawi was quoted by the state news agency, Mena, as saying that one person had been killed on Monday.Mr Adawi also said that 201 people were injured on Sunday alone, with 136 needing treatment in hospital. Most of those admitted were suffering from bruises, cuts, burns and concussion, he added.
The UN and US have expressed concern about the use of force by the Egyptian authoritiesHowever, a doctor at a field hospital in Tahrir Square told the Associated Press that six people had been killed on Monday. He said they all had gunshot wounds.The latest violence began just after the second round of parliamentary elections, which Egyptians hope will bring stability and civilian rule.In recent days, soldiers and police in riot gear have been filmed beating activists with sticks after they had fallen to the ground - scenes which have brought international condemnation.One photograph taken on Saturday showed two Egyptian soldiers dragging a woman on the ground by her clothing, exposing her underwear.Some Egyptians have expressed outrage, but others want to focus on voting not continuing unrest, our correspondent adds.Islamist parties are on track to win a majority in the People's Assembly.The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party has said it received 39% of votes cast for party lists in the second round of voting last week. The ultraconservative Salafist al-Nour Party said its list received 30%.Of the 160 individual seats contested in the second phase, the Freedom and Justice Party won 29, while al-Nour won 23. The liberal Wafd Party and Egyptian Bloc won nine and seven seats respectively.The rest will be determined in run-off votes later this week.
Soldiers and police have been condemned for beating protesters, including women, on the groundThe UN and US have expressed concern about the use of force by the Egyptian authorities
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