Cairo: Pro-democracy advocate Mohamed
ElBaradei, who is also a former head of the UN nuclear
watchdog, is expected to return to Egypt shortly to join
protests against President Hosni Mubarak`s 30-year-old
authoratian rule.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Egyptian protesters, including
journalists, have been arrested in two days of Tunisia-
inspired unprecedented mass protests against Mubarak`s
autocratic regime that left at least six people dead.
The protesters could also be energised by the imminent
return of ElBaradei, a Nobel peace laureate and the country`s
top pro-democracy advocate. ElBaradei is expected to return
tonight, local media reports said.
Egypt witnessed a second `day of anger` against the
30-year-rule of Mubarak yesterday as thousands of protesters
took to streets, shouting slogans like `Down with Hosni
Mubarak, down with the tyrant," "We don`t want you"!
Yesterday, Egyptian riot police clashed with thousands
of demonstrators for a second day, firing rubber bullets and
using tear gas and batons on protesters who defied a
government ban on demonstrations.
Protesters attempted to firebomb the ruling
National Democratic Party`s local headquarters before police
pushed them back with teargas. At least 55 people were hurt in
the clashes.
After nightfall, more than 2,000 people continued
their protests in various parts of Cairo. Demonstrators in the
Egyptian capital set tires on fire and threw rocks at security
officials, who drove back the crowds with armored vehicles and
water cannons.
The government says at least 700 people have been
arrested in the waves of unrest across the country. The
anti-government rallies are the largest demonstrations that
Egypt has seen in years.
PTI
