At least 24 protesters were killed and hundreds wounded during anti-government demonstrations held Friday in Alexandria, Suez and Cairo. Medical sources confirmed Saturday that six Egyptians were killed in protests Friday in the coastal city of Alexandria. They said the dead included four protesters and a policeman and a woman who was hit by a bullet while she stood at her balcony. One protester died of a bullet to his head.
Reuters news agency reported that 13 people were killed and 75 others were injured in the protests, which took place in the Egyptian city of Suez on Friday. The agency said, quoting medical sources, said five protesters were killed and over 1000 injured during demonstrations in Cairo. The death toll is expected to rise.
Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama said he personally told Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak Friday night to take “concrete steps” to expand rights inside his country and refrain from violence against protesters. "Surely, there will be difficult days to come, but the United States will continue to stand up for the rights of the Egyptian people and work with their government in pursuit of a future that is more just, more free and more hopeful,” Obama said after speaking with Mubarak.
The American leader made his comments on television shortly after he and Mubarak spoke. The half-hour phone call was initiated by Obama.
