Uneasy calm prevails at public spots in Cairo

Precarious calm prevailed at and around Al-Tahrir Square in central Cairo on Tuesday following overnight fierce clashes between government security forces and protestors at these locations and other public spots in the city. Qasr el-Nile bridge which connects the governorates of Cairo and Giza witnessed, yesterday, sporadic bloody clashes between the two sides. The violence spread to Nile Corniche Street. The protestors, during these confrontations, hurled stones at the troops who retaliated with tear gas. Some of the demonstrators seized an armored vehicle and set it alight during these incidents. The Ministry of Interior said 27 "saboteurs" were detained in vicinity of the American embassy. Other violent incidents were also reported, yesterday, in Suez, Port Said and Al-Ismailiah, protesting President Mohammad Morsi's decision to enforce curfew in several governorates that have been witnessing recurring violence. The official Middle East News Agency quoted the governor of Port Said, Ahmad Abdullah, as urging citizens, regardless of political affiliation, to observe the curfew, and called on the police and army to help in maintaining order. Morsi, late on Monday, chaired the first round of national dialogue discussions, with attendance of leaders of diverse political forces. However, leaders of the National Salvation Front, the umbrella of several influential parties, was absent. The opposition is campaigning against the government of Morsi, charging him with seeking to monopolize powers and failing to address a host of living and social problems. Morsi, a leading member of the Islamic Brotherhood, became president of the 90 million nation, following ouster of the former regime of Hosni Mubarak.