Dozens have been injured Tuesday in Matrouh city the capital of Marsa Matrouh Governorate, northern Egypt, during clashes between relatives of convicts and security forces.
Clashes between security forces and the people of the Al-Nagila district in Marsa Matrouh led to 46 people suffering from injuries, after family members attempted to storm a police station on Tuesday, where the defendants are detained.
Mahmoud Zahran, deputy health minister in the city, told Masry Al-Youm that all the injured have been sent to Matrouh Public Hospital.
The violence erupted after an attempt to free 13 convicts, sentenced by a military court to six months in prison for smuggling foreign cigarettes and entry into a military zone.
Security forces fired tear gas canisters at the families, while they exchanged live ammunition with the police state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper reported.
The newspaper reported that relatives of the convicts stormed a police station storehouse, stealing vehicles and motorbikes. The paper also said the authorities brought in troops from Alexandria to prevent any further attempt to free the prisoners.
Residents hurled stones at the police station, and security personnel fired at the demonstrators to disperse them.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
