Egypt in turmoil tonight
Events in Egypt have taken a turn for the worse. The Army has now taken to the streets; something which was what we all feared.
RPS Partnership has just returned from Egypt and is now following events closely with its clients there. It is unlikely that things will improve in the near future. The Army is getting ready to clear the pro Morsi rallies in Nasr city as at midnight UK time today. Who knows what will happen after this.
The protests over the last few days, which affected towns and cities across the country, including Cairo, were largely peaceful; however, an armed attack targeting a rival pro-Morsi protest and clashes in Giza left 16 people dead and dozens more wounded.
The threat of military intervention if Morsi did not step down by 5pm today appears to have been carried out.
The deadline was rejected by the Morsi government and his Islamist supporters, who argued at the time that he was democratically elected and had a legitimate mandate to rule.
Both pro- and anti-government protests are continuing tonight and may escalate further. City and town centres, public squares, ruling party offices, mosques and universities remain likely protester gathering points and should be avoided in any city.
Given that the Army is now in charge and although it is being denied as a coup d’état in many quarters, particularly by the US, things look very uncertain for people living there. Tanks are being deployed to residential areas and this may be a normal sight by tomorrow morning.
RPS Partnership advises all foreigners to remain at home with doors and windows locked. Anyone with a vehicle should stock up with fuel when they can as it may become scarce in the coming days. Electricity may be limited so ensure you have adequate torches and batteries and candles etc. Ensure all cellphones are fully charged.
Sexual violence is on the increase at the moment and there have been many cases of assault and rape during the latest protests. Foreigners are advised not to attend protests to watch, as crowds have been known to be violent towards foreigners taking pictures.
Anyone in Egypt is advised by RPS Partnership to reconfirm their travel schedules, including flights, with their travel provider or the relevant transport authority prior to departure. It may be that is safer to wait and fly once things have settled.
Finally, clients and travellers intending to travel to Egypt are advised to consider deferring their travel until at least 8 July. The Red Sea and South Sinai coastal resort towns are likely to be unaffected, but it is worth being prepared and taking torches in case the electrical supplies fail and speak with your travel provider to confirm travel plans.
If you need advice on travel to Egypt, please contact [email protected]
Photo: www.indianexpress.com