Egypt deploys army to quell deadly clashes

Clashes have erupted between assailants and supporters of Egypt's Islamist political parties who had gathered near the defence ministry in Cairo, leaving 11 people dead and nearly 50 wounded, security and hospital officials said. The violence on Wednesday is the latest episode in more than a year of turmoil in Egypt following the toppling of longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak and will likely fuel more tensions just three weeks ahead of presidential elections. The military generals who took over from Mubarak in February last year have promised to hand over power to a civilian administration by July 1, but that has not stopped rallies demanding the generals leave immediately. The security officials said the clashes broke out at dawn when the assailants set upon several hundred protesters who had camped out in the area since early Saturday to press their demand for the military to go. Hospital officials said nine of the 11 died of gunshot wounds to the head while two people were stabbed to death. The health ministry only confirmed nine were killed and 49 were injured.