Egyptian Sniper Shoots a Female Journalist in Head

Cairo – Mayada Ashraf,  an Egyptian journalist was shot in head by sniper on Friday noon while covering clashes in the northern neighbourhood of Ein Shams between security forces and supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, media reported.

Several marches were staged Friday by Morsi’s supporters across Egypt in Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Fayoum, Beheira, Qalioubiya and Qena in reaction to the recently-announced presidential bid of ex-military chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who carried out Morsi’s ouster.

The media reported that at least four Egyptians were killed and dozens were injured in Cairo as police used excessive force and live ammunition against the Islamists protesters.

Hundreds were arrested for chanting against Al-Sisi, the military, the police and the government. Pro-Morsi protesters consider that his removal by the army last July was “a military coup”.

Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood has rejected Sisi’s candidacy outright and a coalition of his supporters had called Friday’s protests.

“What we said nine months ago was confirmed and the mask fell off from the face of the coup leader… with the announcement of his candidacy to ‘the bloody presidency’,” it said in a statement Thursday.

Sisi “broke the oath he made before the elected president Mohamed Morsi by toppling him and made the Egyptian army enter the political arena with him,” the coalition added.

Sisi is believed to be the real power behind interim president Adly Mansour, under whose watch police have killed hundreds of Islamist protesters and detained at least 25,000 suspects since Morsi’s ouster.

The crackdown has caused international concern and outrage after 529 Morsi supporters were sentenced to death this week over deadly riots.

For those who want an end to the violence that has scared off investors and tourists, Sisi’s military background is an asset.

The army is seen as the country’s most stable institution, and Sisi can count on further aid from friendly Gulf states that have pumped billions of dollars into Egypt since Morsi’s ouster