Egypt clashes continue into third day

 

At least 10 protesters have been killed and 441 wounded in the three days of violence which began when one of several hundred peaceful protesters staging a sit-in outside the cabinet offices was detained and beaten by troops. The protesters are demanding that the nation\’s ruling military immediately step down.

 

Sunday\’s clashes are taking place as unofficial results from a second round of voting in parliamentary elections show the continued dominance of Islamist parties at the polls. The third and final round of voting is slated for next month.

 

On Saturday, troops pulled women across the pavement by their hair, knocking off their headscarves. Young activists were kicked in the head until they lay motionless in Tahrir Square, Cairo.

 

Unfazed by TV cameras catching every move, Egypt\’s military took a dramatically heavier hand to crush protests against its rule.

 

The most sustained crackdown yet is possibly a sign that the generals who took power after Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February are confident that the Egyptian public is on its side after two rounds of parliamentary elections, and that Islamist parties winning the vote will stay out of the fight while pro-democracy protesters become more isolated.

 

Still, the generals risk turning more Egyptians against them, especially from outrage over the abuse of women. Photos and video posted online showed troops pulling up the shirt of one woman protester in a conservative headscarf, leaving her half-naked as they dragged her in the street.