More killed in fresh Cairo clashes

There are reports that at least two people have been killed in a fresh outbreak of shooting in central Cairo's Tahrir Square.But witnesses in the centre of the violence claim anti-government protesters are running from bullets and that six people are dead from heavy gunfire which has been raging for almost two hours.

Witnesses also said there were many people wounded by fire coming from the October Bridge where partisans of embattled president Hosni Mubarak are positioned.
The barrage erupted in the early hours of Thursday morning (local time), after a day which saw pitched battles between pro- and anti-government supporters on the streets of the Egyptian capital.
An anti-government protester in the square told Al Jazeera that protesters were being shot at and women and children were caught in the middle of the violence.
"People are too tired to be terrified ... We cannot go back at this point," she said.
"We cannot trust a government that is sending thugs to kill us."Al Arabiya television quoted a doctor at the scene as saying one protester was killed and two more were injured by stones.
Another witness said as many as 15 people had been wounded.
Protesters have barricaded the square against supporters of Mr Mubarak who are trying to penetrate the makeshift cordon.
"This place will turn into a slaughterhouse very soon if the army does not intervene," said Ahmed Maher, who saw pro-Mubarak supporters with swords and knives.
Urging protesters to clear the streets, the armed forces told them their demands had been heard after Mr Mubarak announced that he would be not be contesting Egypt's next election later this year.
But some protesters were determined to occupy the square until Mr Mubarak quits.
Earlier, three people were reported dead and around 1,500 injured after protesters were attacked by what they said were paid thugs hired by Mr Mubarak's regime.
Pro-government partisans on camel and horseback charged demonstrators while others threw concrete blocks and makeshift petrol bombs.
Egypt's new vice-president, Omar Suleiman, has called on anti-government demonstrators to quit their protests, saying talks with the opposition will not go ahead until calm returns to the streets.
Meanwhile, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton has condemned the "shocking" bloody clashes that have rocked Cairo.
The State Department said Ms Clinton had called Mr Suleiman, telling him the violence "was a shocking development after many days of consistently peaceful demonstrations".
"The secretary urged that the government of Egypt hold accountable those who were responsible for violent acts," the state department added in a statement.
"Secretary Clinton also underscored the important role that the Egyptian Armed Forces have played in exercising restraint in the face of peaceful demonstrations and expressed concern that all parties recommit themselves to using only peaceful means of assembly."