Sixteen Islamist activists were shot dead early on Monday during a protest outside a key Cairo army headquarters calling for ousted president Mohamed Morsi to be reinstated, his Muslim Brotherhood said.
Demonstrators told AFP that troops and police had fired tear gas canisters and bullets into the air to disperse the protesters.
Another protester, Mahmud al-Shilli confirmed that security forces fired into the air, adding that a group of men in civilian clothing had attacked the protesters.
Earlier, demonstrators told AFP by telephone that troops and police had fired tear gas canisters and live rounds in a bid to disperse them.
On Friday at the same spot, four Islamists were shot dead by soldiers.
Supporters of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood have mobilised in large numbers in different parts of Cairo in recent days, vowing to defend Morsi, who was ousted by the military on Wednesday after mass protests calling for him to be removed from power.
Morsi was Egypt’s first freely elected president but lasted just a year in power.
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