Six killed, dozens injured in Egypt clashes


(CNN) -- Assailants targeted protesters demonstrating against the barring of a presidential candidate in Cairo early Wednesday, killing six, the Health Ministry said.
At least 100 people were injured, said Hisham Sheeha, the deputy minister of health.
It was unclear who the attackers were, but they were dressed in plainclothes, witnesses said.
Protesters camped outside the Ministry of Defense for a fourth day to voice their anger about the disqualification of Islamist candidate Hazem Abu Ismael from the presidential election set to start May 23. They also want to disband the presidential election commission.

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Muslim Brotherhood protests candidate Abu Ismael was disqualified because of evidence that his late mother had U.S. citizenship, an assertion he has denied, prompting his followers to protest the decision by the election commission.
A day before the attacks, state TV broadcast videos showing protesters chanting against the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
"Dozens of military men dressed in plainclothes started pelting us with stones, cement blocks, and fired tear gas from rifles, so they were obviously security officers under cover," said Alaa Younis, who took part in the sit-in with some friends.
"We fought back with rocks until we noticed they escalated and fired birdshot. Many of us took refuge at one of two field hospitals."
A government official denied reports that the military was involved.
"There were no riot police or military that tried to evict the sit-in by force," said Gen. Marwan Mustapha, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry. "We are not sure of the identities of the thugs that attacked the peaceful protesters. The military only protects the vicinity of the ministry and blocked some roads leading to it."
The epicenter of the violence was around a mosque in Cairo, but clashes continued in several streets.
Residents formed neighborhood watches to protect their streets as gunfire cackled for hours, according to witnesses. The military blocked some highways leading to the ministry and did not interfere in the fighting between protesters and the unidentified attackers.
Clashes have erupted in Egypt since an uprising led to the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak in February of last year, with protesters demanding the military leaders who took over hand over power to a civilian administration.
The latest violence comes a few weeks before the presidential elections.
About 10 of the 23 presidential contenders have been disqualified, the head of the election committee said earlier this month.
The May 23-24 vote will be the first presidential election since Mubarak's ouster. It comes amid rising political tensions as officials work to craft a new constitution and Egyptians await the June 2 verdict in Mubarak's murder trial.
CNN's Amir Ahmed contributed to this report.
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