Calmer Cairo

The ruling military council in Egypt issued an apology on Thursday for the deaths of at least 35 protesters in clashes with police over the past six days, mainly at Cairo's Tahrir Square.

"The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces presents its regrets and deep apologies for the death of martyrs from among Egypt's loyal sons during the recent events in Tahrir Square," it said on its homepage on the social media site Facebook. "The council also offers its condolences to the families of the martyrs across Egypt."

The military again vowed that parliamentary elections, set to begin on Monday, would go ahead as planned and also said it was doing everything in its power to "prevent the repetition of these events."

Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the recent unrest and of the popular uprising that led to the departure of former President Hosni Mubarak in February, was relatively quiet in the night to Thursday, although protesters remained in position.

Demonstrators said as of midnight, they agreed to a truce with police, and for the first time in almost a week the square was quiet at dawn. There were unconfirmed reports, however, of small, sporadic clashes during the night.

Uneasy truce

The army has constructed makeshift barricades using metal bars, barbed wire and other detritus to separate camps of police and protesters on side streets between Tahrir Square and the Interior Ministry - the area where most of the recent clashes have played out. Both sides formed human cordons to demarcate their respective territory.

The protesters are dissatisfied at the speed with which the military leadership intends to transfer power to a democratically elected government, with some claiming that the army doesn't plan to relinquish power at all.

Although the lengthy parliamentary election process - slated to last until next spring - begins on Monday, presidential elections are likely to take place shortly before July 1. The military promised a presidential ballot by this date on Tuesday, responding to the weekend unrest. Previously, the vote was planned for late 2012 or early 2013.

In the same emergency address, the military leader, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, suggested he would be ready to hold a referendum on immediately ceding power, "should the people wish it."

International pressure

The violence in Egypt has prompted several statements of concern among the international community, with Germany, Britain, the US, the EU and UN urging restraint on all sides. Some of the deceased protesters appear to have died from gunshot wounds, a cause of considerable concern for many.

"Some of the images coming out of Tahrir, including the brutal beating of already subdued protesters, are deeply shocking, as are the reports of unarmed protesters being shot in the head," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a statement on Wednesday.

"There should be a prompt, impartial and independent investigation, and accountability for those found responsible for the abuses that have taken place should be ensured."

There is increasing doubt that the planned vote will be able to begin on Monday in the current climate, with Al-Jazeera reporting that Interior Minister Mansour el-Essawy had proposed to the military council that it postpone the election. Such a move, however, might be liable to anger protesters further, considering their fundamental demand.

"The military council must leave and hand power to civilians. They don't want to leave so that their corruption isn't exposed," 23-year-old student Ahmed Essam told Reuters at Tahrir Square. "Everything is like in Mubarak's time."

Author: Mark Hallam (AFP, AP, Retuers)
Editor: Martin Kuebler